A Woman's Touch: A Distant Voice
by KayValo87
Summary: PART 1/5: After performing a solo rescue via the radio, John makes a new friend. But as their relationship grows, he finds that some things can't stay secret forever ...
1. Chapter 1

Okay, sorry for the posting freeze on Camp Gatewood. (It won't last much longer.) I sadly lost touch with my beta and had to locate a new one. Then once I found one, the Internet at my house went on the fritz. (Been coming and going for days now.)

Anyway, while all this was happening, I spent some of my spare time working on this idea I had and I thought I would share. BTW, this is my very first romance, so please be nice.

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own the Thunderbirds as I have a very small yard and they would never fit.

A big thanks to JulesDPM for her beta work, and enjoy the show ...**  
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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

John yawned and rubbed his eyes, glancing at his watch. It was nearing midnight and he still wasn't finished running this stupid diagnostic. Had it been on any other system, he would have just gone to bed and checked the results in the morning, but considering this was the habitation systems, it really couldn't wait. He had just decided to ask Brains for a faster way to check his systems, when a soft voice came over the radio.

"Hello? … help me … coast guard? … can you hear me? … mayday … please … someone help."

Hurrying over to the radio, he picked up his handset.

"This is International Rescue. Can you hear me?"

"International Rescue? … yes, I can hear you … can you help me?"

Since the woman sounded disoriented, John would let the obvious question slide. He moved over to his console and started to trace the call, not knowing how much longer she would be able to talk coherently.

"Yes, I can help you. Can you tell me what happened?"

"Um … the shelf fell … I'm stuck."

Trapped with a probable concussion, John didn't hold too much hope that she could give him her location. On top of that the signal was also extremely weak; it was amazing that he could pick it up at all. Luckily he still managed to get it narrowed down to somewhere off the coast of southern California, but that was the best he could do.

"Ma'am, can you tell me where you are?"

"Uh … lab ... I'm, um, in my lab … my head hurts … I can't move."

"Stay calm, I am going to send help."

"Coast guard?"

At this point, John was really concerned about the extent of this woman's head injury. Had she already forgotten who he was?

"No, Ma'am, I'm International Rescue," he explained. "I'm sending the Thunderbird aircraft."

"But I'm not on fire … not gonna blow up … just stuck … call the coast guard."

"Ma'am, my team is trained-"

"To save people in danger … not in danger … just stuck … leave Thunderbird planes for people gonna blow up … or on fire … call coast guard, Rescue-man … I'll live."

John weighed his options. On one hand, this woman may be more hurt then she was letting on and might need serious medical help. On the other, if she wasn't in immediate danger then protocol said to let the local authorities could handle it.

"Ma'am, are you bleeding?"

"No blood … no fires … no bears."

What? That's it, he was calling base …

"My teacher said that … I was smaller then."

"Your teacher said what?"

"Blood, fire, or bear … don't come to her desk without blood, fire, or bear … that's what she said."

Okay, so maybe she would be okay. But no matter who he called, he was still going to need to know where she was.

"Ma'am, can you tell me where you are?"

"Silly Rescue-man … I already told you that."

Right, she said she was in her lab. But what lab was off the coast of southern California? Was she under water? If that was the case, then he would need to call his brothers so they could send out Thunderbird Four.

"Is your lab under water?"

"No … above … waaaaaay above … on stilts … in rig."

Rig? As in oil rig? John did a quick check and found four abandoned oil rigs in the area of the signal. He also discovered the reason for her accident. There had been some minor seismic activity in that area. Not enough to cause major damage, but it could have probably moved a couple of large objects, such as a shelf. The woman had to be on one of those, but which one? Luckily, the coast guard had more then one transport. John switched to a different frequency and hailed the local coast guard station letting them know about the situation. They immediately mobilized and headed to check the rigs.

"Rescue-man? … did you leave?"

"No, I'm still here."

"Call the coast guard?"

"Yeah. Don't worry, they are on their way."

"Thank you … you gonna leave now?"

John briefly wondered if this is how Scott or Virgil felt on a rescue, reassuring a victim of a fire or mud slide that everything would be okay. He knew that he had really done all he could and the coast guard could take it from here, but a stronger part of him was determined to see this through to the end.

"No, Ma'am. I'm not going anywhere."

"Good … you have a nice voice."

"Thanks," he chuckled. "you have a nice voice too."

"Yours is nicer."

He smiled, glad that none of his brother could hear this conversation. Scott and Virgil wouldn't be that bad, but if Alan or Gordon ever found out, he would never live it down.

"Pretty."

"What? My voice?"

"No … your voice is nice … stars are pretty … I see them … can you see them?"

John glanced out into space and the vast sea of sparkling lights.

"Yeah, I can see them."

"Are they pretty for you?"

"Beautiful."

"I like the one that looks like an ice cream scoop … the little ice cream scoop, not the big one."

"You mean the little dipper?" John asked, getting comfortable in his chair.

"I like that name better … do people eat ice cream in space?"

"I'm sure they do."

He did anyway. In fact, Alan had brought up some Rocky Road on the last supply run. Of course, he was just doing it to keep it away from Gordon, but the end justified the means.

"What ice cream do you like, Rescue-man?"

They spent the better part of the next two hours discussing various subjects. It started with favorite ice cream flavors, them moved into favorite foods. This sparked a long discussion on how cats were terrible cooks and that, with the proper training, monkeys might be able to make fruit salad. After that they talked about various tropical locations they had been too, such as Hawaii, and how they were better vacation spots then mountains, unless you wanted to eat snow. They had just started discussing whether a mountain goat could win a fight against a monkey when the woman's voice began to fade.

"Ma'am? Can you hear me?"

"Yeah .. just tired … goodnight, Rescue-man."

"No, Ma'am, you have to stay awake."

"You stay awake … I wanna sleep."

John took a deep breath, glancing at his watch and regretting not calling in his brothers. The coast guard may be closer, but Thunderbird One was faster, and they were running out of time. He may not have a medical degree, but growing up with four active brothers had taught him a thing or two about concussions, namely that you can't go to sleep until you get it checked. And where was the coast guard? Shouldn't they have found her by now?

"Ma'am? Ma'am, I need you to talk to me."

"I did … tired now … so tired."

"I know you are, but I need you to tell me about … your rig."

It was the first thing that came to mind, and he hope that she had a lot to say. She had talked for almost twenty minutes about what fruits monkeys liked in salads, so hopefully a topic like her oil rig could keep her engaged until the coast guard arrived.

"It's big … metal … I like it."

Her voice was fading fast. He had to keep her going.

"What color is it?"

Man, that was a stupid question, but at least it seemed to work.

"It's black … but my room is not … my room is purple."

"Oh yeah? What shade?"

"Violet … what shade is your room?"

"My room is blue."

"Blue isn't purple."

"No, it's not," John chuckled. "Um … do you like blue?"

"Yes … only pretty blue … not ugly blue … is your blue ug-l-ly?"

"Well, I don't think so. What blue is ugly?"

He waited for a moment, but was met with just dead air.

"Ma'am? Ma'am, are you there?"

Nothing. She was gone. For a few frantic moments he was glued to the radio, hoping to hear that soft voice again. Finally he picked up a message from the coast guard. The woman had been found alive, but unconscious, and was being rushed to the nearest hospital. John collapsed back into his chair, letting out a sigh of relief. She was going to be okay. He shook his head, wondering if this was how his brothers felt after a rescue and seriously considering asking for more time Earth bound. He loved space and he loved his Thunderbird, but being up here alone for so many months at a time … it could get pretty lonely. As strange as the last few hours had been, it was the first real conversation he had in weeks … and he didn't even know her name.

***O*O*O*O*O***

"Calling International Rescue. Come in International Rescue."

John set down his clipboard and headed over to the radio. It had been almost a week since, what he started to think of as his first solo mission, but still whenever a woman called, like now, he imagined that it was her. This time, it even sounded like her. He shook the thought from his head and focused on the task as hand.

"This is International Rescue. Go ahead."

"Hello, Rescue-man."

He nearly dropped his hand-held as his mind tried to wrap around this. It was her. She really was okay.

"Hello, Ma'am."

"Please, call me Cecily."

His smile grew. Suddenly, space didn't seem so lonely anymore.

"I'm John."

"Thank you, John."

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><p>Well, what do you think so far?<p>

Let me know what you think. In the mean time, I'll keep writing and as soon as I get chapter two back from my beta I will get it posted.


	2. Chapter 2

I was going to wait until I got my first review before I posted this, but decided that you wouldn't really get a good idea of what was going on without it.

So, enjoy ...**  
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><p><strong>Chapter <strong>**2**

Dr. Cecilia Maria Evans had always been a loner. Ever since her parents divorced when she was seven she had looked after herself. She didn't need anyone and no one needed her. At least that was true until the night of the earthquake, the night she first heard the voice on the radio. She didn't remember much about what happened, only the calm voice that brought her through it. When she woke in the hospital she had been asking everyone where Rescue-man went. Of course, she didn't really remember that either, but once she was lucid the nurses told her about it, wondering who Rescue-man was. To be honest, almost a week after her accident, she was still wondering the same thing. She knew he was from International Rescue, and something about stars and the color blue, but the rest was a jumbled blur. There was also a vague memory of monkeys and fruit, but Cecily was pretty sure that was all her. Speaking of fruit, time to check on the plants.

"Hello, my pretties." She smiled, walking through her indoor garden.

She plucked a few strawberries, popping one in her mouth before she moved onto the more scientific side of the room. It took only a few minutes to make sure everything was functioning, but she took some extra time to check the growth of her hybrids. Not much change since the last time she checked … twelve hours ago.

"Now you're just stalling," Cecily muttered to herself, heading back for the main lab.

She carefully stepped over the rusted area and sat down at her computer, trying to ignore the radio sitting in the corner. In the hospital she had promised herself that she would thank Rescue-man for saving her, but in the last few days had chickened out every time she tried. First she told herself International Rescue didn't except thanks, then that it probably wouldn't be the same guy. It's not like they assign someone to just sit there and listen to the radio … do they? Then again, what did she even know about this guy? He was International Rescue, that's it. He probably helped hundreds, if not thousands, of people a week. What made her so special?

"Face it, Cecily," she sighed, "he's out of your league."

But the radio still sat there, as if telling her to take a chance.

"Stop looking at me like that." She hissed.

Man, first she talked to herself and now she talked to a radio. It was official, Cecily had been on this rig too long. But crazy or not, she wouldn't be able to give herself any peace until she had at least thanked the man. Taking a deep breath, she picked up her hand-held.

"Calling International Rescue. Come in International Rescue."

She bit her lip, wondering if she was doing the right thing. What if he was upset that she called when there was no emergency? What if he reported her? What if-

"This is International Rescue. Go ahead."

Her heart fluttered at the sound of his voice. It was him. It was really him.

"Hello Rescue-man."

There was a pause and she couldn't help but wonder if he had hung up on her. Did he even remember her?

"Hello, ma'am."

Letting out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding, she smiled at the radio. He didn't sound angry, quite the opposite in fact. Maybe it was just wishful thinking, but it sounded like … like he was smiling, like he remembered her. What was she saying? Of **course** he remembered her. After all, how many other people call him Rescue-man?

"Please, call me Cecily."

Stupid! She berated herself. You can't go all informal on a man from **International** **Rescue**. What was she thinking? Everyone knew they kept to themselves and-

"I'm John."

John, Cecily grinned to herself. His name was John. Common, but strong; plain, but extraordinary; John. The name fit … and she was an idiot. She should just do what she meant to do and let him get back to saving the world.

"Thank you, John."

"Any time, Cecily."

Okay, you said it, she told herself, now try and forget about him. She set down the radio and turned toward her computer.

"How are you feeling?"

Stopping dead in her tracks, Cecily turned back to the radio. Why would he … no, he was just being polite. That's all. Still, there was no harm in answering him.

"Fine now. It was just a bump really."

"I could tell."

"Oh man," she groaned, "I must have sounded like a total nut-case."

"No, it really wasn't that bad."

Holy- She still had the radio on! Good thing it was voice only, because Cecily could feel herself turning red. Maybe she should just switch it off and pretend it never happened. That would be an easy way out, but she had never really liked the easy way.

"Please tell me I did not mention monkeys."

"Well … there's nothing wrong with monkeys … but the mountain goat, that kinda threw me."

Despite her embarrassment, she couldn't help but laugh. He joined in, and the over the next hour they re-hashed the whole incident. After he touched on the highlights of their conversation, she explained how the first tremor had loosened the bolt that kept her shelf against the wall, allowing an aftershock to send it crashing down.

"I replaced the bolts, so I shouldn't have another problem."

"Actually, you are lucky that it was just a shelf," John said seriously. "Those oil rigs are abandoned for a reason."

"Yeah, 'cause they're out of oil," she teased. "I'll be okay John, I promise."

"Well, what if something happens? You only have a radio that can't even reach the coast guard."

"It can reach you. Maybe I should just check in now and then."

Did she really just say that? What was she thinking? She had already taken up over an hour of his time, and now she was asking permission to do it again? The guy had a nice voice, and was the sweetest guy she had ever … well … sort of met. And even though everything in her history said he was too good for her, she still hoped.

"I'd like that."

She smiled at the soft reply, trying to imagine a smile on a face she had never seen. At that moment she knew her life would never be the same.

**/O\O/O\O/O\**

"International Rescue, this is Death Trap. Come in."

"Death Trap, this is International Rescue. And how is your day going?"

"Can't complain. You?"

"Slow."

"Well, in your line of work, isn't that a good thing?"

"Yeah, I guess so," John chuckled.

Cecily couldn't help but smile at the sound. She loved John's laugh. She loved talking to John. It didn't matter one bit that she didn't know who he was, where he was, or what he looked like. He was her friend, her only friend, and that was all that mattered. Which brought her to the reason why she called.

"So, I read about yesterday's rescue. Are all your men okay?"

"Yeah, they're fine."

She let out a sigh of relief. John had told her that he rarely attended the rescues himself, but having called during one a week before, Cecily knew how close the members of the organization were. The intensity in his voice had scared her as he quickly explained that he had lost touch with one of their pilots and couldn't talk. She logged off and spent the next twelve hours anxiously scanning news sites for any word on the rescue. Not that they would know anything about International Rescue's communications, but they might know if one of the rescuers got hurt. Finally she found a report about the underwater incident, but it had no mention of problems for John's men. When she called to check in with him, Cecily was relieved to find out it was just a technical problem and everyone made it home safe. But as happy as she was that they had not lost a man, one selfish part of her was glad that it was someone else who was in trouble and not her friend. She had been worried sick about a nameless, faceless stranger and couldn't even imagine how she would have reacted if it had been John.

"So, how are your hybrids coming along?"

"Oh, they're great," Cecily answered. "I should be able to try the newest berries in a couple of weeks."

"Wish I could be there to see that."

"Well, if I knew where you were I could send you a sample."

John fell silent and Cecily felt like kicking herself. Stupid! She knew that keeping secrets from her bothered him, so of course she had to bring it up. Idiot.

"But it's okay, I'm sure it won't be **that** amazing," she said as cheerfully as she could. "When I crossed blueberries with raspberries I got just what I was going for, blue raspberries. I'm sure my blue strawberries will be just as anticlimactic."

"Don't sell yourself short. You are a pioneer of plant genetics. Someday, your plants might solve world hunger."

"Which would be pretty amazing since I only made them to solve my hunger."

He laughed and she couldn't help but join in. Oh, how she loved to hear his laugh. Of course she could never tell him that. No matter how much she had grown to care for John over the last several weeks, all he would ever be was a voice on the radio. A faceless friend, but one she could always count on.

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><p>Well? What do you think of Cecily?<p>

Please let me know what you think. (If no one reviews I tend to assume that people didn't like it.)

Meanwhile, I'll get back to writing and hope for the best.


	3. Chapter 3

Okay, since people seemed to like the first couple of chapters, here is the next one.

Once again, I would like to thank JulesDPM for her awesome work as a beta. (Forgot to say this is the last chapter, but she went over that one two.)

Enjoy ...

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

John shifted through his cupboards, trying to decide if he should make himself soup or pasta for dinner. Selecting a can of minestrone, he then turned his attentions to finding a pot. Only a week left until his break came up and he was really looking forward to home cooking. Fresh fruits and vegetables only lasted so long, and heat and eat meals tended to get old after a while. Maybe he should take a page from Cecily's book and grow his own food. He could probably find room somewhere on Five.

"International Rescue, this is Death Trap. Come in."

Speaking of Cecily … John left his uncooked dinner on the counter and eagerly headed for the radio.

"Death Trap, this is International Rescue. And how is your day going?"

"Can't complain. You?"

"Slow."

"Well, in your line of work, isn't that a good thing?"

"Yeah, I guess so," John chuckled.

She always could make him smile. These calls were the highlight of each week, and the one draw back to going earth-side.

"So, I read about yesterday's rescue. Are all your men okay?"

"Yeah, they're fine."

He shuddered to think about the close call they had last week when Thunderbird Four got caught in an underwater rock slide. Gordon, and the men he rescued, barely made it back. But of course while everyone else was concerned about their resident aquanaut, all Gordon cared about was that the rocks dented his sub. But, no use dwelling on what ifs. His brother was fine, everyone got out okay, and even Thunderbird Four was coming out stronger then ever with a newly reinforced hull. Which reminded him of another improvement he was aware of.

"So, how are your hybrids coming along?"

"Oh, they're great," Cecily answered, in the cheerful tone she always used when discussing her plants. "I should be able to try the newest berries in a couple of weeks."

John glanced back at his soup with an inward sigh. Fresh berries, even experimental ones, sounded pretty good right about now.

"Wish I could be there to see that."

"Well, if I knew where you were I could send you a sample."

A stab of regret hit him as he remembered that their relationship could not move beyond this, that she would never be more then a voice on the radio. But she already was more. She was his friend, his confidant, his pick me up. Someone whom he could talk to about the beauty of nature, and most importantly, someone who truly understood what loneliness was.

"But it's okay, I'm sure it won't be **that** amazing," she said quickly, the cheerfulness in her voice now forced. "When I crossed blueberries with raspberries I got just what I was going for, blue raspberries. I'm sure my blue strawberries will be just as anticlimactic."

A surge of protectiveness replaced the regret at her words. Cecily was so hard on herself, but he couldn't figure out why. What kind of people did she have in her life that made her think that everything she did was second rate? She was brilliant, dedicated, and passionate woman. She had a PhD, was working towards a second, and ran an entire lab alone. Anyone who thought of Cecily as less then what she was had to deal with John … and that included Cecily.

"Don't sell yourself short. You are a pioneer of plant genetics. Someday, your plants might solve world hunger."

"Which would be pretty amazing since I only made them to solve my hunger."

He had to laugh. There was just something about this girl, the way she said things, it was like a candle in the darkness. A sappy analogy to be sure, but there was no other way to describe it. She just brightened up his world. He was really gonna miss her over the next month. Then again, he did know where she was. Maybe he could go on a supply run to southern California. Last he checked, Tracy Two was still docked there. Maybe …

"Hey, Cecily?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm … um …"

What was he doing? He couldn't show up at her door. Besides, what would Father and the others say? No, he had to keep his relationship exactly the way it was. Just talks, no details.

"John? You still there?"

"Yes, I'm still here … I just … uh … I heard about a meteor shower that should be visible in your area tomorrow night. You should check it out."

"I'll have to do that. Will you be able to see it?"  
>"Yeah, I'll be able to see it."<p>

Just not from the same direction, John thought to himself. One of the perks of living in space, you get a very unique look on things. Meteor showers were one of John's favorites, as long as nothing hit Five anyway.

"Great. I can call you up and it will be like we are watching it together."

John smiled at the thought. He wished he could watch it with Cecily. He would love to gaze out into the night sky with her, pointing out various stars and constellations, but who was he kidding? He was in International Rescue; a personal life wasn't in the job description.

"Oh-oh."

Startled at her exclamation, John griped his hand-held tighter. He instinctively checked his monitors for any seismic or weather problems in Cecily's area, but everything looked fine.  
>"What? What's wrong?"<br>"Oh! Sorry, John," she said, sounding embarrassed. "One of my machines stopped working. I just have to fix it. It's no big deal."  
>"No problem," he responded, letting out his breath. "I guess I'll talk to you tomorrow night then?"<br>"Wouldn't miss it. Later Rescue-man."  
>"Bye, Cecily."<p>

The next day passed far too slowly, but the meteor shower went by way too fast. Not that they really noticed since the talked long after the light show ended. By the time John realized how tired she sounded it was nearly two in the morning. He signed off and went to bed, only to wake up four and a half hours later to his brother's voice coming over the radio.

"Thunderbird Three to Thunderbird Five," Alan's voice called cheerfully. "Rise and shine, Johnny."

Thinking of various things he could booby-trap before his brother made it onto the station, John stumbled out of bed, pulling on his robe as he went.

"Thunderbird Five here," he yawned. "You're early."

"Wow, John, you sound beat. Did you throw a wild party and not invite me?"

"How exactly am I supposed to throw a wild party from up here?"

"Well-"

"That's enough, Alan," Scott's voice cut in. "We are on final approach. Standby for docking procedures."

"FAB."

John rubbed his eyes and typed the familiar commands into his computer. Once Thunderbird Three was locked on, he headed to his room to get dressed. Even though he was just about to go back to the island, he pulled on a clean uniform and slipped his sash on. After all, he wasn't on leave yet.

"Anyone home?"

"Coming!"

Double checking the room in case he left anything he might want in the next few weeks, John opened the door to find his oldest and youngest brothers waiting for him.

"Hi, John," Scott smiled. "Its good to see you in person."

"Likewise," John replied, hoisting his bag on his shoulder and turning to Alan. "She's all yours."

"Great. Did you leave me any ice cream?"

"Oh, was I supposed to?"

Scott laughed while Alan glared at him. John just shrugged and grinned. Serves him right for scheduling the turn over so early. Tossing back a quick reminder not to break anything, John headed for the airlock with Scott at his side. He was eager to see his family again. Still, as they pulled away, he had a nagging feeling he forgot to do something.

**/O\O/O\O/O\**

"John, its so good to see you."

"Good to see you too, Grandma.

Smiling, he returned his grandmother's embrace, pulling away to greet his father and Tin Tin, while Scott headed back into the house to change.

"Turnover go okay?"

"Yes, Father."

"Good. And it's good to have you home, son."

"You know," Grandma piped up, latching onto John's arm, "three months is an awful long time to be up there all alone. Why don't you shorten his tours, Jeff?"

"Now, Grandma," Gordon cut in, appearing in the doorway, "do you really see John letting Alan have fifty percent control of Five? He barely lets him stay up there as is."

"But I'm sure he gets lonely up there," she argued.

"Not really, Grandma," John reassured her.

And he hadn't, not since he met- Cecily! They got so wrapped up in the meteor shower last night that he completely forgot to tell her he was going on leave!

"John? Are you alright?" Grandma's concerned voice cut into his thoughts.

"I'm fine," he muttered, still trying figure out what to do.

Telling Alan about her was out of the question. That kid never could keep a secret, or at least not one like this. Memories of Scott's first crush came floating back in haunting detail, making John even more determined to keep this away from his brothers.

"You look pale," Tin Tin commented, touching a hand to his forehead. "Have you eaten this morning?"

"Um … no."

"Well, no wonder you're pale," Grandma tutted, leading the way to the kitchen. "Let's find you something."

Allowing everyone to think that he was just hungry, when the thought of his brothers finding out his secret almost made him too sick to eat, John concentrated on his last few conversations with Cecily. Maybe he had said something … or she had … she had! Just last night, she said she was going to be busy for a while testing her new antiseptic. He just hoped "a while" would last until he got back.

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><p>So, does anyone see a problem on the horizon?<p>

Please let me know what you think. Feedback helps me write.


	4. Chapter 4

Hey, sorry for the wait ... again. What you are about to read is probably my favorite chapter so far (and I have nine almost finished) and I wanted to make doubly sure that it was ready to post. To do that, I doubled my betas! :D

Thank you to JulesDPM and MissBubbles for all their help and advice.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this ...

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

Cecily moved among her rows of plants, noting any changes in her journal. They had grown more then she had expected, but that was probably due to the fact she hadn't checked on them in days. For nearly a week she had been consumed by a single project, barely giving herself enough time to sleep. Maybe she would have been able to work better if her brain was not so tired, but at least she had her homemade, nutrient enriched, snacks to keep her from becoming a complete zombie. Besides, this was one of those times that the ends justified the means. If this turned out the way she hoped, the world just might have a new anesthetic, and that was worth a lot more then a few nights sleep. Maybe she should tell John, It might be something his organization would be interested in. But she was still a long way off, and wouldn't want to get his, or her, hopes up in case it failed. Then again, John was a smart man and would understand that she was just starting the testing phase. He would know enough not to expect instant results. And speaking of John, she hadn't talked to him since the meteor shower over a week ago and was long overdue for a check in. Leaving her notebook on her desk, she headed upstairs to her main lab and picked up the radio.

"International Rescue, this is Death Trap. Come in International Rescue."

"This is International Rescue …Who is this?"

Cecily nearly dropped her hand-held in surprise. Who was **that**? It sure wasn't John, and he was the one who manned all communications for International Rescue. He said so himself. So why would someone else- Oh no! What if they were terrorists? John had told her that he couldn't say much about his organization because too many people wanted their technology. What if it had happened? What if they hurt John? Fear and anger surged through her, causing her to tighten her grip on the radio. She was getting answers and she was getting them now.

"Listen," she hissed, "I don't know who you are, but you are NOT going to get away with this."

"Away with what, ma'am?"

Oh, he was good. He really sounded confused, but then again, maybe he was. Maybe they didn't expect anyone to catch on this fast. Maybe she still had a chance to stop them and save John. But if so, she had to keep her head. Come on Cecily, she mentally coached herself, you have to be brave. For John.

"You know what I mean."

"Uh … no … no, I really don't. Look, this is International Rescue. Do you ha-?"

"You're not International Rescue."

"Um … yes I am."

"No you are not!"

There was a pause on his end and she decided to pounce on it while she still had the nerve. Pushing aside her fear, Cecily took a deep breath and lied as calmly as she could.

"Whoever you are, I want you to know that I have connections in the world government and if you don't surrender the base you are on I will report you."

"What? No, ma'am, I **am** International Rescue. I don't know why you think I am not, but I am."

"You can't fool me, and you will never escape with their secrets."

How she was going to stop them, she had no idea. She only knew that she had too. She had to help John. Ironically, it was John who had told her to get a radio with a better range, but she had said that if she had a problem she could just call him. Cecily had never thought that John himself would ever be in danger. Now she was helpless, stuck on her rig, and no idea where he was … if he was even alive … No, she couldn't think like that. John was alive, he had to be, and she was going to find him.

"Look," the guy said with an obvious forced calm, "I don't know who you are or who you know, but I **promise** you, I am an operative of International Rescue."

"Right," she scoffed. "Like I am going to believe the promise of a terrorist."

"I'M NOT A-" he took a deep breath. "Ma'am, do you have an emergency?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"Terrorists have taken over International Rescue's communications base."

She heard a muffled thud and some angry muttering, but could not make out the words. Was he talking to other terrorists? Whoever he was talking to, he was obviously not happy that he had been caught. Oh no! John! What if they got so mad they hurt him? What if they did more then hurt him? What if they killed him because of her? But before her thoughts could get any darker, the voice came back on the line.

"What can I do to convince you that I am who I say I am?"

She paused to think of a proper response. She was sure he couldn't be who he said he was, since John was the only one who handled communications, so there really was nothing he could do. But she had to say something.

"Surrender."

Why did she say that? And she didn't just say it, she ordered it. There was no way they were-

"Okay," the voice said firmly. "I surrender … Who am I surrendering to?"

Cecily blinked, staring at the radio as though it had just turned into a snake. That **worked**? What kind of terrorist was this? It had to be a trick, but maybe she could use it to her advantage.

"Surrender to the operative that was running the base when you broke in."

"Alright … now what?"

"I wanna talk to him."

She was amazed that she could keep her voice steady as fear and anticipation crept in. She wasn't sure if they would really let her talk to John, but she had to take the chance. She had to know he was okay.

"Sure … Hello, this is International Rescue. How can I help you?"

Anger quickly replaced the fear. Did he think she was stupid? She had immediately pegged him for an outsider and now he didn't even bother disguising his voice. Why even continue with this charade? Well she was not going to be fooled, and she was not going to give up ... not until she knew her friend was safely back where he belonged.

"Do you think this is some kind of game?" she half screamed into her hand-held. "Well, you will not win! And if you hurt John, then I will see to it that the might of every world power comes crashing down on your head!"

There was a pause and she wondered if her threats had driven him to break the connection. If he had, there was no way to help her friend. Without the communications base she wouldn't even be able to tell International Rescue that one of their own was in trouble. She would have to go to the mainland and contact the coast guard, but that would take a while and she didn't know how much time-

"Did you just say 'John'?"

Startled from her thoughts, it took a moment for Cecily to realize what she had done. She hadn't meant to say names, especially not John's, since they might try to use their relationship against her. Too late now. Maybe she could twist this to her advantage, but how? Tell the truth … or at least part of it?

"Yes, I know John," she admitted. "And if I don't speak to him in the next two minutes I'll start putting in calls to military commanders, many of which owe the lives of their men to International Rescue and won't hesitate to take you down."

"Ma'am, my name is Alan. I am **another** operative of International Rescue."

Alan? Why did that name sound so familiar? Wait ... John had talked about an Alan. He was one of their pilots. Oh man! She had just yelled at one of International Rescue's pilots! Red-faced with embarrassment, she raised the hand-held once again.

"Um … hello … Alan … uh … Where's John?"

"He's on leave."

"Ah … okay … Tell him I called."

Without giving Alan a chance to answer, Cecily switched off her radio and sank down in her seat. Stupid! She KNEW there were more operatives, and it made sense that John would get a break every once in a while, why didn't she think of that? Sleep deprived idiot. She'd probably gotten him into trouble now. He may never speak to her again, and she wouldn't blame him one bit. Weighed down with guilt and shame, she headed back to her garden. After all, there was nothing she could do but wait and hope that John would forgive her.

* * *

><p>So ... what do you think?<p>

Please let me know while I wait for my wonderful betas to look over then next part.

**SIDE NOTE:** Part of my medical condition includes sleep problems. So I just wanted to say, to any of you who have **not** suffered from sleep deprivation, you can think up some pretty crazy crap when you do. I once posted a chapter of "Trouble at Devils Lake" where I put a new character that I could have **sworn** had been there the entire time. When I was more awake, I had to wrack my brain to remember his background so I could explain it in the next chapter. (I think half of it I made up on the spot) I also once thought that "London" and "England" were interchangeable words and that _"I like cheesy and potatoes, not not together, unless they're mashed"_ was a coherent sentence. (Like I was saying, it gets pretty weird sometimes.) I've never thought my friend's brother was a terrorist though ... but I could see it happen.


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry for the wait on this. Still training in my new job.

Anyway, big thanks to JulesDPM and MissBubbles for their great beta work.

Enjoy ...

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

John sipped his homemade lemonade, thoroughly enjoying watching Scott thrash Gordon at chess. It was supposed to be a lesson, since the younger of the two was dead set on beating their father at the game, but was looking somewhat more like a massacre.

"I told you that you should have had Virgil teach you," John chuckled as his red haired brother lost yet another piece.

"Scott's better." Gordon grumbled, moving his rook in a feeble attempt to protect his king.

"Very true," Scott said with a grin, capturing the newly moved piece with his bishop. "Checkmate."

"Oh man!" Gordon groaned. "One more time."

"You sure?" Scott asked, raising his eyebrow in amusement.

"Very. And stop with that funeral music!"

Virgil grinned over the piano and switched back to the Mozart he had been playing a few minutes before. Scott shook his head and reset the board, for the twelfth time. John was about to remind Gordon about the definition of insanity when he heard the signal idicating a call from Five.

"Go ahead, Alan," Jeff said from his desk.

"I just had a quick question for John."

"You break something already?" Gordon smirked.

"No, just a question."

He sounded a bit annoyed, and for the life of him, John couldn't figure out what could have frustrated him that much without something breaking. Maybe he was calling to complain about the lack of cookies and ice cream. No, he could be childish sometimes, but not that childish.

"What is it?" John asked, taking another sip of his lemonade.

"Who is Death Trap?"

Choking on his drink, John screwed his eyes shut as the tart liquid burned his throat and nostrils. Gordon pounded on his back until the coughing subsided and he finally managed to take a decent breath. When he looked up all eyes were on him, filled with varying levels of concern and curiosity. John took a deep breath and tried to regain the composure he'd had a moment before, not that his reaction was likely to go unnoticed.

"Oh," he said as calmly as he could. "She called?"

"She?" Gordon raised his eyebrow. "You hiding a girlfriend up on Five?"

"Not if he calls her 'Death Trap'," Virgil commented dryly.

John scowled at his younger brothers and turned back to Alan. For the last week he had been afraid something like this would happen. Of course, he had hoped Alan might have the decency to contact him directly, and therefore spare him the public spectacle of having his private life brought out into the open, but there wasn't much he could do about that now.

"Never mind who she is, what did you tell her?"

"Well, after I managed to convince her I wasn't a terrorist after the secrets of International Rescue, I told her you were on leave."

"She thought you were a WHAT?" Gordon laughed. "Please tell me you recorded the conversation."

"Of course I did. It's standard procedure," Alan narrowed his eyes at his only blond brother. "Unlike using International Rescue resources to make dates with crazy people."

John could feel himself turning red, but it had nothing to do with embarrassment. No one, but no one, talked about his friend like that. Brother or not, Alan had crossed the line, and Gordon was dangerously close to following.

"Cecily is NOT crazy," he growled.

"She threatened to report me to the world government!" Alan shot back.  
>"She wouldn't have been able to report you to the boy scouts!"<p>

"She sounded pretty determined to me."

"I'm sure she was, but Cecily's radio only has a range of a mile and a half," John informed him. "She can't reach the coast guard, much less the world government."

Alan opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off when Jeff rose to his feet.

"That's enough, Alan," he stated firmly, before turning to his second oldest. "John, would you care to explain this?"

With a sigh, the astronaut took his seat and told his family how he had formed a relationship with Cecily. Though not one of his brothers appeared to believe him, John established that he and Cecily were just friends, nothing more. By the time he was finished, his audience had grown to include everyone on the island. At least he wouldn't be expected to repeat himself.

"You're sure she is who she says she is?" Scott questioned cautiously.

"Completely. I ran a comprehensive check on her once I knew her full name. She's okay, trust me."

"It's not a matter of trust, John," Jeff said in a serious tone. "You know we trust you, as well as your judgment. But the rules we have are as much for her safety as ours. Suppose someone found out about your relationship and tried to use her against you?"

"That won't happen," John vowed.

He would never let it, and neither would she. He had already considered that dark scenario, it had kept him awake at night more than once, but he'd made sure she knew the risks. Then again, maybe he'd made her too aware of them if her first thought after hearing Alan's voice was that a hostile takeover had happened. He would have to give her some kind of security question that his brothers all knew the answer too in order to keep this kind of thing from happening again.

"Besides, who would she tell?" he added. "I'm the only one she talks to normally, and she almost never goes to the mainland."

"She lives on an island?" Tin Tin asked, having missed the first part of John's explanation.

"No. She converted an abandoned oil rig into a lab for her research."

"Oh my," Grandma exclaimed. "That hardly sounds like a safe place."

"I agree," John said grimly. "That's actually how she got her call sign. I've been trying to convince her to move for ages."

"In any case," Jeff cut in, "I see no problem with John talking to this girl, provided he continues to use discretion in their conversations."

"Thank you, Father."

With that seal of approval, a massive weight lifted from John's shoulders. Of course, that didn't stop his brothers from pestering him for details about Cecily. Luckily, he didn't have many to give. He didn't even have a photo to show them, since Cecily hated to have her picture taken much less published. She had told him that she was short with brown hair and gray eyes, but that was it. He got the feeling she was self-conscious about her appearance, and had made it clear that he couldn't care less about what she looked like. But lack of information on John's part did nothing to appease his siblings' curiosity, which caused a great deal of problems when it came time for him to return to Five.

"You said so yourself, Father," Gordon pressed. "We all need to be able to fly each other's Thunderbirds in case of emergency, and I don't have very many hours logged on Three."

"Father, you know he only wants to go to see if Cecily will call," John argued, glaring at his younger brother.

"Do you really think I would go all the way to Five just to spy on you and your girlfriend?"

"Yes! … And she's not my girlfriend."

"Then there shouldn't be a problem."

Gordon smiled, probably trying to look innocent, but John knew him well enough to see right through it. If Gordon came along Scott would have to stay home, so as not to leave the base shorthanded, but then John would be left without help getting both of his youngest brothers off his Thunderbird. Due to recent events, that was a situation he would rather avoid.

"John," Jeff started, "what are the chances that she would call?"

Gordon gave his older brother a triumphant grin. They both knew that their father was leaning towards the younger man's side. Of course, he did have a point. Turnover usually only took a matter of minutes and the likelihood of Cecily calling during that time was rather slim. On the other hand, she had never gone this long without calling and might even try before he got up there.

"Honestly, I don't know," he admitted. "She could call in five seconds, five minutes, or five hours. Depends on how busy she is."

Jeff was silent as he weighed his options, but when he looked up John knew what he was going to say. Darn it. He was in for a very long turnover.

**/O\O/O\O/O\**

"Alan, you ready to go?"

John entered the main control room of Thunderbird Five, checking the readouts on the various monitors out of habit. It looked like his brother had kept it in one piece while he was away … wherever he was.

"Alan!" he called again, heading towards the sleeping quarters. "Gordon's waiting."

"I'm in no hurry," the red-head commented, leaning against the wall next to the main radio.

Ignoring him, John walked into the bedroom to see Alan was still packing. This was why he had wanted to bring Scott. Having one brother stalling for time was bad enough, but to be out numbered by them was down right irritating.

"Alan, get a move on. Brains needs you to get Three back to the island for maintenance."

The youngest Tracy looked skeptical, but did speed up a little. It might have been a bit unfair to use his Thunderbird against him, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Besides, it wasn't as if he was lying. Brains did have some work to do on Three, John just failed to mention that there was no time frame.

"So, has Miss Cecily called back?" Gordon asked when the pair returned to the main room.

"Not since she switched off her radio."

John had just reached down to bring his bag into the living quarters when his head snapped up. She turned off her radio? Cecily never turned off her radio, not since the last time when she had cut the power by accident and it took an hour to get the thing back online. Stupid piece of junk. She really needed a new one. But right now he was only concerned with what Alan had said to make her cut communications with him.

"What did you say to her?" he demanded.

"What did I say?" Alan gaped. "Are you forgetting what **she** said to **me**?"

"I don't care what she said," John shot back, glaring down at his brother. "You are an operative of International Rescue, and as such you are trained to keep your cool no matter what. Now, what did you-"

"International Rescue?" a soft voice called from the main radio. "Are you there?"

Hearing Cecily sound so timid, John was torn. On the one hand he wanted to throttle Alan for whatever he did that scared her so badly, on the other he wanted to rush over to reassure her that, whatever his younger brother had said, she hadn't done anything wrong. First things first …

"Get out," he ordered, pushing the younger two into the hall that led to the airlock.

"That her?" Gordon asked, peering around John as if he might be able to see Cecily through the radio.

"Isn't it obvious?" Alan muttered.

Turning away from them, John rushed back to the radio and picked up the hand-held.

"Cecily, it's John. You there?"

"John," she sighed in relief. "It's good to hear your voice. Did you have a nice vacation?"

"Yeah it was good. Listen, I-"

He cut off when his big-brother-sense told him he had an audience. Glaring over his shoulder at the two spying on him from the doorway, he started to lower his radio. It had been years since he had to forcibly eject a younger brother from his room, but if they didn't clear out in the next ten seconds, he had no problem doing it again.

"John? You still there?" Her voice leaned toward panic. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong," he replied, keeping his voice as calm and gentle as he could. "There's just something I have to take care of. Could you call back in five minutes?"

"FAB, Rescue-man."

John closed his eyes and suppressed the desire to groan. He didn't mind her using International Rescue's phrase, he actually thought it was kinda cute. And he really didn't mind when she used his nickname from the night they met, that was endearing. What he **did** mind was that both had been heard by two of his younger brothers who were now snickering behind the bulkhead. He was never going to live this down.

* * *

><p>So, what do you think is going to happen now that the family knows?<p>

Let me know what you think while I get started on the next part. (Which for me is chapter ten.)


	6. Chapter 6

I am so sorry for the delay on this one. New job + new school term = no free time. (As it is, I now have 15 minutes to get dressed, eat, and get out to the bus. After that I won't be home for 14 hours.)

Once again, I would like to thank JulesDPM and MissBubbles for their great beta work.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this ...

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

Cecily glanced over at her radio. It had been off since the day she made a fool out of herself. Eventually she would have to apologize to John for any problems her stupidity may have caused, but she didn't want to risk calling only to find Alan again. The last few weeks had been hard. She had forgotten how lonely this place was before John came into her life. Maybe he was back now. Most companies gave out two weeks a year for vacation, but who knew what a guy in International Rescue earned? Lord knew that they deserved a month or more. Wouldn't hurt to call, she thought as she switched the equipment on. If by chance it was still Alan, maybe he would tell her when John would return. She spent the next hour trying to figure out what to say. All too soon the radio was warmed up and she raised the hand-held to her lips.

"International Rescue?" she said, her voice shaking slightly. "Are you there?"

Her heart sank when she didn't get an immediate answer. They always answered right away, it was part of their job. And since they weren't answering one of two things must be happening. Either it was still Alan and he didn't want to talk to her, not that she would blame him after what she had accused him of, or John was angry with her. The first scenario she could live with, but the second was almost unbearable. Tears began to fill her eyes as she raised the hand-held once again to try and beg for forgiveness.

"Cecily, it's John. You there?"

She nearly sobbed with relief. It was him. He was back, and best of all didn't sound angry.

"John. It's good to hear your voice." Knowing she probably sounded like a sappy teenager, Cecily forced her tone to return to normal. "Did you have a nice vacation?"

"Yeah it was good. Listen, I-"

The sudden silence was alarming, and Cecily had to remind herself that John was at work and might have received a rescue call. But with everything that had happened with Alan, she had a bad feeling that she had lost her best friend.

"John? You still there?" She tried to remain calm, but it didn't seem to be working. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong," he said, in a kind and gentle voice. "There's just something I have to take care of. Could you call back in five minutes?"

Letting out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding, Cecily smiled at the radio. He wasn't mad at her. How could he be and sound that sweet?

"FAB, Rescue-man."

She set down her radio and moved back to her work, but found herself paying more attention to the clock more than her notes. Exactly five minutes later, she grabbed the hand-held.

"International Rescue, this is Death trap. Come in International Rescue."

"This is International Rescue. And how is your day going?"

Her heart soared at the familiar greeting, one that just minutes before she had feared she would never hear again. How she had missed the sound of his voice, of his laugh, even the way he condemned her lab. Cecily knew all too well that she had come to depend on this relationship, and she was never going to risk losing it again.

"John, I'm sorry," she blurted out.

"For what?"

Didn't he know? What if Alan hadn't told him? But if he hadn't then there was still a chance that John might get angry with her. In that case, maybe she should just not mention it. Forget it, Cecily told herself. She had to tell the truth. She could never lie to John.

"I … I accused Alan of being a terrorist."

"So? He kinda is sometimes," John replied casually. "I remember this one April Fool's Day … Well, let's just say that, whatever you did, the rest of us have done worse."

"So … you're not mad at me?"

"Is that what you were afraid of?"

Cecily dropped her eyes to the floor, unsure of how to respond. Of course she was afraid of that, terrified in fact. She was so worried that she had gotten John in trouble that she hadn't been able to think about much else.

"Oh, honey, you don't need to worry about that," he said gently. "I don't think I could ever be mad at you."

At that moment Cecily was so glad that he could not see her, because she was grinning like a star-struck teenager. He had called her 'honey'. He had never called her anything but her name or 'ma'am' before. Could it be possible that he felt as strongly for her as she did for him? But that wasn't possible. Aside from the fact that he was a world-wide hero and she was a little known science geek in a self imposed exile, he barely knew her. Only stupid romantics fell for someone without knowing them, or at least that's what her mother had always told her. She'd always had been a stupid romantic. But John wasn't stupid and therefore couldn't possibly have fallen for her. They were friends, good friends, but that was all they would ever be.

"Besides," John continued, switching back to his casual tone, "Alan might brood for a while, but he'll get over it. You're lucky that you didn't accuse Gordon, he would try and get even."

"Gordon? Is that another one of your pilots?"

"Yes, but he doesn't fly as much as the others."

"You must have a lot of pilots."

"Not as many as some might think."

Cecily was about to ask how many they had, but snapped her mouth closed. That was probably one of the details of his organization that he wasn't allowed to talk about and the last thing she wanted to do was put him in a compromising position. Time to change the subject.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you," she started brightly. "My blue strawberries were a complete success."

"That's great. Hey, you should take them to the mainland. They might win first prize at a state fair."

"I'm pretty sure entering genetically engineered plants would be considered cheating, but I'll keep that in mind."

He laughed and they spent the remainder of their conversation trying to figure out which of her experiments could be entered into contests without getting caught. They had just started discussing how she could probably grow a pumpkin that would need a Thunderbird to lift when one of her machines went off. Darn it.

"Sorry, John," she sighed. "Work calls."

"It's alright, we'll just have to finish our conversation later, but let's not wait so long this time."

"Same time tomorrow?" Cecily suggested.

"It's a date. International Rescue out."

She set the hand-held down with a content sigh before turning to see what her test results were. Tomorrow could not come soon enough.

/O\O/O\O/O\

"Can you see Orion's belt?"

Stretched out on the roof of her lab, Cecily scanned the night sky, finally seeing the three bright stars that sat in a neat row. Leaning back against the pillow she had pulled off her couch, she lifted the hand-held from where it rested on her stomach.

"Yeah, I see them."

"Great. Now, if you look below the star on the left side of the belt you will find Orion's knee."

"Okay."

Though she spoke with confidence, she was still trying to figure out which of the dozens of dots in that area was supposed to be Orion's knee. Probably the bright one ...

"If you look under that you will see Lepus, the hare. To the left of that is Canis Major, the greater dog. Can you see it?"

"Honestly … the only thing I know I've found is Orion's belt."

"Okay, okay," John chuckled. "Around Orion's belt are four bright stars, each slightly diagonal from the edges of the belt. Can to see those?"

Relocating the three star 'belt', Cecily quickly found the stars he was describing. Or at least, she hoped she had. They were the four brightest stars around the three and did kind of formed a tunic with the belt in the middle. It must be them.

"Yeah, I think I see them."

"Alright, those are Orion's shoulders and knees."

"Okay, so I see his clothes, but no dogs or rabbits. Are you sure they're there?"

"Positive. Here, I'll give you an easy one. Find Orion's left shoulder and scan to the left until you see two bright stars."

"Okay, I see them … now what?"

"That's it," John replied. "You are looking at Canus Minor, the lesser dog."

"That's supposed to be a dog? It's a line! How does a line become a dog?"

He laughed outright at that, and Cecily, though still confused, couldn't help but smile. She loved that sound, even when it came at her expense.

"Hey, I didn't make the constellations, I only learned about them."

"Yeah, well maybe next time I can teach you how to identify different maple trees by their leaves."

"Sounds easier then teaching you stargazing over the radio," he commented. "Might even be fun."

"You might not think so after the first few dozen species."

"How many different kinds are there?"

"Over a hundred."

"I think I'll stick to the stars."

Now it was her turn to laugh, but it soon turned into a yawn. Not now! Why did she always have to get tired while she was talking to John? It was only … what time was it? Cecily glanced at her watch and grimaced. After midnight. No wonder she was tired.

"Should I let you go? You sound beat."

"No, I'm okay," she assured him stifling another yawn. "Tell me more about the stars."

She closed her eyes, listening to the sweet sound of his voice. Soon, Cecily began to imagine that John was sitting there beside her and not just a voice on the radio. Of course, if that was the case, it wouldn't be nearly so hard for her to find the stars he was talking about. How nice it would be if he was able to come to her, to sit beside her and point out each and every star by name, something she had no doubt he could do. Her imagination quickly turned to dreams as she was lulled to sleep by the voice she had come to love so much.

* * *

><p>I hope you guess didn't mind that this part is all fluff, but I do have something brewing on the horizon ...<p>

Let me know what you think while I get the next couple chapters to my betas.


	7. Chapter 7

So here is the next part. Big thanks to JulesDPM for her beta work.

Enjoy ...**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

"Okay, so I see his clothes, but no dogs or rabbits. Are you sure they're there?"

"Positive." John smiled, shaking his head in amusement.

Maybe trying to teach her how to identify stars over the radio was not the brightest idea he had ever had. Then again, since he knew their relationship would never go beyond this, it was the only way he could. At least when talking about constellations he didn't have to watch what he said, so long as he avoided any stories of trying to get his brothers into stargazing. Alan had taken to it with enthusiasm, Scott and Virgil with mild interest, but Gordon had been just about as confused as Cecily. Looking back, John couldn't help but think that it might have been easier to try and teach the redhead over the radio. Then he might not have gotten sprayed by the hose. Coming back to the present, John looked over the image he had brought up of the current night sky over Cecily's rig.

"Here, I'll give you an easy one. Find Orion's left shoulder and scan to the left until you see two bright stars."

"Okay, I see them … now what?"

"That's it," John answered, leaning back in his chair in triumph. "You are looking at Canis Minor, the lesser dog."

"That's supposed to be a dog? It's a line! How does a line become a dog?"

John laughed so hard he nearly fell out of his chair. She sounded just like Gordon … right before he went for the hose.

"Hey, I didn't make the constellations, I only learned about them."

"Yeah, well maybe next time I can teach you how to identify different maple trees by their leaves."

Despite the fact he couldn't care less which tree was which, he actually liked that idea. Over the last few months he had known her she had been incredibly supportive of his work and his hobbies, even though she only knew a few details. It would be nice if he could support her for a change.

"Sounds easier then teaching you stargazing over the radio," he commented. "Might even be fun."

"You might not think so after the first few dozen species."

Her playful tone once again reminded him of Gordon, only she didn't give him a desire to shove her face first into the family pool. Still, he figured it might be a good idea to ask a question before agreeing to anything.

"How many different kinds are there?"

"Over a hundred."

Wow, that's … a lot more then he would have guessed. And Cecily knew them all? That girl never ceased to amaze him. On the other hand …

"I think I'll stick to the stars."

This time she laughed, and John smiled at the sound. He loved her laugh more then he would ever care to admit. But this time it sounded off, mostly due to the fact she was also yawning.

"Should I let you go? You sound beat."

"No, I'm okay," she insisted, though she sounded ready to collapse. "Tell me more about the stars."

Knowing that she was probably too tired to register anything beyond the sound of his voice, John started to list off each star in the Orion constellation by name and position. While he talked, he brought up the weather reports for her area of the Pacific to make sure that he would not regret letting her fall asleep on the roof. Satisfied that she was in for a restful night, he paused to listen to the soft sound of breathing. She must have fallen asleep with the hand-held on her chest again.

"Goodnight, Cecily," he whispered.

Normally, this was the time that he would sign off and go to bed himself, but he didn't feel right cutting communications with her asleep out in the open like that. Granted he knew that the temperature was not going to drop much more and the weather should stay fair, but that didn't keep him from worrying about her. There was only one thing he could do. Walking over to the secondary radio that he used during their longer conversations, John patched her signal through their monitoring system. That would keep the line of communication open all night, just in case. He just hoped that it wouldn't be needed in the middle of the night. Luckily, no calls came in and, after a very embarrassed geneticist apologized for falling asleep on him, John ended the call just in time. An earthquake in Tajikistan caused a chain reaction that resulted in a landslide and buried two dozen civilians and the rescue workers who were trying to help them.

"Virgil is just bringing up the last of them now," Scott reported several hours later. "Once Alan finishes up with the Firefly we will be packing up."

"Good work, boys," Jeff praised. "See you when you get back. Base out."

"Hey, Scott," John called once his father was off the line, "how's your head?"

"It's fine," his older brother assured him. "Just a bump."

"Make sure to get it looked at, Virgil too."

"We'll be fine John. But I'll have Virgil call you later with an update."

"FAB. Let me know when you are ready to leave."

"Will do. Mobile command out."

John sighed and sank down in his chair. Even thought they got everyone out, relatively unharmed, this had been a bad one and one of the many times he hated being stuck in space while his brothers put their lives on the line. Just as Virgil had been bringing the Mole up with the first group of victims an aftershock hit. In their typical fashion, all three of the brothers had rushed in to pull people away from falling debris, two of them getting hit themselves. Luckily, Alan had not been hurt and had quickly reported in, but those first few minutes before he did seemed like hours as they waited to hear about the boys' fate. Maybe he should talk to his dad; Jeff sounded as worried as he felt as they waited for word about what happened. Of course, the person he really wished he could talk to was Cecily, but that was out of the question. Without giving details, such as the fact he was related to all the other pilots, there was no way he could make her understand how he felt. Besides, since her experiments were taking up so much of her time, she probably wouldn't call again for a week or so.

**/O\O/O\O/O\**

"International Rescue! Come in, please!"

John frowned as he picked up the radio. It had only been three days since they last spoke, but he was more concerned with the fact he hadn't heard Cecily this frantic before. She hadn't even been that desperate when she was trapped under a shelf.

"Cecily, its John. What's wrong?"

"John! You have to call your friends! Tell them to hurry!"

Fear gripped his heart and he ran a quick check in her area. A tropical storm was right on top of her. What if that rig had finally had enough and was slipping into the ocean? Or maybe lightning had struck and her lab was now on fire? Stay calm, he told himself, trying to comply with his own advice. If he was going to help her he needed details.

"Slow down. Now, what happened?"

"It's an oil tanker! Oh God! All those men! You have to hurry!"

Not taking the time to feel bad about the relief that she was not the one in danger, John slipped into rescue mode.

"Just stay calm, Cecily. Help is on the way."

* * *

><p>I got the next chapter ready, but I have to wait until after work to post it.<p>

In the meantime, I'd love to know what you think. Reviews are always welcome.


	8. Chapter 8

I meant to have this up earlier, but ended up working most of the weekend. (I have the next two days off, but they also fall on my niece's six birthday celebration, so I make no posting promises until after Tuesday.)

A huge thanks to JulesDPM and MissBubbles for their beta work. You two are awesome! :)

Anyway, enjoy ...**  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 8<strong>

Using one hand to keep her hood on, Cecily struggled to pull the tarp back into place. The wind and rain beat down on her, threatening to tear the makeshift patch from her grasp. As she forced it down, securing it over the rusty hole in her rig, she couldn't help but think that maybe John was right. She should move. Maybe she could find a nice abandoned bunker in the desert somewhere, or perhaps a remote mountain lodge. Then again, John would point out that either of those had their own risks, such as sandstorms or avalanches, but were they more dangerous than typhoons? Finally patching the leak in her wall, Cecily was carefully making her way back toward the rig's main structure when something flashed in the corner of her eye. Peering across the rolling waves, she made out a large oil tanker getting tossed around like a bath toy. A strong light pulsed on and off, signaling the ship's distress and sending the scientist racing inside to where she kept the rig's old lamp.

"HOW BAD IS YOUR DAMAGE?" Cecily signaled.

Okay, so maybe she wasn't well versed in the proper nautical procedures for this situation, but at least she knew Morse code. Besides, she got her point across and the ship quickly answered her question.

"ENGINES DOWN … RADIO DOWN … TAKING ON WATER … CALL COAST GUARD."

Forget the coast guard, she could do them one better. Blindingly snatching up her radio, Cecily kept her eyes on the ship as she made her call.

"International Rescue! Come in, please!"

It took only seconds for him to answer, but it felt like much longer.

"Cecily, it's John. What's wrong?"

"John! You have to call your friends! Tell them to hurry!"

"Slow down. Now, what happened?"

Even as he spoke, the situation went from bad to worse. An explosion ripped across one end of the tanker, and not even the force of the typhoon could quench the oil fueled flames. The crew was running out of time.

"It's an oil tanker! Oh God! All those men! You have to hurry!"

"Just stay calm, Cecily. Help is on the way."

Her eyes remained glued to the horror playing out in front of her, but his muffled voice brought comfort. She couldn't tell what he was saying, but she assumed he was relaying the needed information to his team.

"Cecily, what is the location of the tanker?"

"What? Oh! Uh …" She stammered, trying to force herself to think straight. "It's … uh … it's east of my rig. I'm not sure how far. The storm keeps moving it."

"Closer or farther from you?"

"Closer."

"Alright. Do you know the condition of the tanker?"

"Yes. It's on fire and has lost its engines and radio. You need to hurry!"

"Stay calm, honey. Thunderbird One will be there soon."

She nodded, even though he couldn't see, and kept her eyes on the tanker. She stood there for what seemed like forever, waiting and praying that John's people would make it in time.

Even though she had been expecting it, the roar of the sleek silver jet still startled her as it moved to hover overhead. For the first time since she saw the distress signal, Cecily found herself captivated by something other than the sinking ship. It looked like a cross between a plane and a missile, and was probably just as fast. Past the red nosecone were large block letters spelling out 'TB1'. Help had finally arrived.

"John," she called into her radio. "Thunderbird One is here."  
>"I know," he replied, his voice gentle but distracted. "Listen, he's going to need to land on your rig to coordinate the rescue. Alright?"<br>"Of course he can … wait, who is?"  
>"His name is Scott, he's our field commander."<p>

In other words, she was about to be hosting John's boss. In which case, she should probably get out of the way and stop distracting John, so as not to get him in trouble. First things first though, she had to make sure that Field Commander Scott had everything he needed. Taking the steps two at a time, she hurried out to the helipad, just as the hatch on Thunderbird One opened. Out stepped a tall man in a blue uniform. He was wearing a light blue sash, that Cecily couldn't help but notice held a gun. Looked like the rumors about how seriously they took their security were entirely well founded. Making a mental note not to cross him, the scientist rushed forward to help him remove his equipment from the hold.

"Commander?" She shouted into the wind.

He gave her a puzzled look, but that quickly turned into a small smile.

"You must be Dr. Evans." He called back.

"Yes sir," she nodded. "Do you need any help with your equipment?"

"No, thank you. I've got it."

"Alright then. Why don't you set up in my lab? You can see the tanker from there."

With that she led the way back inside and cleared a space by the window. Stepping aside she tried to fade into the background as she watched Commander Scott check on the status of the tanker before setting up his equipment. He worked with speed and efficiency, making Cecily wonder how many times he had done this before. How many lives had this man saved?

"Mobile Control to Thunderbird Two," he called into his radio.

"Thunderbird Two here. How does it look out there, Scott?"

"The tanker is holding for now, but who knows how long it will be before those fires reach the fuel tanks."

"FAB. ETA to danger zone, two minutes."

"Copy that, Virgil. Thunderbird Five come in."

"This is Thunderbird Five. Go ahead Scott."

Shocked, Cecily barely heard the commander requesting a report on the typhoon. That was John. Her John. What was he doing on a Thunderbird? Was he coming out here? She had always known that he was an operative of International Rescue, but he said he didn't go on many actual rescues. Of course, that meant there were some that he **did** go on. Still, trained or not, she didn't like the idea of her friend flying out into this storm. Maybe he wasn't. She had never heard of Thunderbird Five. Perhaps they only used it on certain rescues … like the most dangerous ones. Shaking the dark thoughts from her head, Cecily knew there was only one way to know for sure. Just as she opened her mouth to ask, the roar of an engine cut her off and she watched in amazement as the largest plane she had ever seen came into view. It looked as big as her rig and shone green in the light of the fires.

"Thunderbird Two to Mobile Control. We have arrived at the danger zone," Virgil reported over the radio. "Dropping the pod now."

As if on a voice command, the entire center of the giant ship detached and hit the churning water. A moment later, a door lowered down and a small yellow submarine slipped beneath the waves. They had a machine for everything, didn't they?

"Okay Gordon, I want you to get a closer look at the damage. I want to know exactly what we're dealing with."

"FAB."

"Virgil, while he takes care of the liner, I want you to start evacuating the crew."

"Already on it, Scott."

The commander fell silent as he watched his men fight against the storm. Cecily didn't want to bother him, but the thought of getting John in trouble by calling him had taken out that option. Their boss was the only one left to ask, and it was now or never. She muted her radio and stepped forward.

"Excuse me, Commander?"

He whipped his head around, as if startled by her presence. Had he forgotten that she was there? Was she not supposed to be there?

"Yes, Dr. Evans?"

"I was just wondering … um … Is Thunderbird Five coming here?"

He blinked at her for a moment, before a small smile graced his face. It was a cross between amusement and caring, but she couldn't tell which emotion was stronger. Though she wasn't sure how or why he could find anything about this situation humorous.

"Don't worry," he spoke gently, a slight chuckle to his voice. "John isn't going anywhere today."

As relieved as she was to hear it, she still didn't know what was so funny about her question. It was a valid concern. However, this was hardly the time or place to be demanding answers, especially from John's field commander. No, the best thing for her to do now was get out of their way. But no sooner had she retreated to her corner then she found herself leaping forward again.

"Oh, be careful, sir!"

"What?" Commander Scott questioned mid-step.

"The floor is rusted through right there," Cecily answered, gesturing to the spot where he was about to place his foot. "It won't be able to hold your weight."

"You mean this place is unstable?" He frowned, looking at the rusted patch.

"Only some spots," Cecily admitted. "But I know where they are, so it's okay."

From the look on his face, he felt the same way about her rig that John did. Oh no, John! He didn't know about the holes in the floor, she didn't want to worry him. What if Commander Scott told him? He had enough on his plate just running communications for International Rescue without adding her problems to it.

"Um … Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Well … do you think that you could … it's just …" Cecily took a deep breath. "Do you think you could keep the state of this place between us?"

"You don't want me to tell John?"

The grim way he said it just made her feel worse. Clearly he disliked keeping secrets from his friends as much as John did. But if Commander Scott cared for him half as much as she did, he would probably agree with her.

"He deals with so much already, I mean, it's hard doing what he does. I just … I don't want to worry him."

"Alright," he nodded in understanding. "I won't say anything, but you need to get these spots fixed or find a new place for your lab."

"Yes, sir."

She tried to sound convincing, even though she knew the best she could do repair wise involved duct tape and she had nowhere near enough resources to move her lab elsewhere. Fact was that she was stuck here until one of her projects started to make money and was just going to have to make do until then. And just in case Commander Scott could tell that she wasn't going to follow his instructions to the extent that he obviously wanted, Cecily quietly slipped from the room and headed across the rig to her living quarters. The first thing she did was un-mute her radio, then she looked around for something to do.

"I know," she murmured, heading for the pantry. "I'll make Commander Scott some coffee."

Selecting one of her favorite blends, her jars of spreads also caught her eye. A man's got to eat too, right? And maybe the other pilots might like a snack when the rescue was done. Don't be stupid, she told herself, eating was the last thing on any of their minds. Then again, that was all the more reason for her to do it. Besides, she had to do something, Cecily felt worse than useless just hanging around while these men risked their lives and, if she didn't find something to do, she was gonna-

Suddenly a massive explosion rattled the windows, tearing her from her thoughts and she dropped to the floor, screaming out for the only comfort she knew.

"JOHN!"

* * *

><p>What do you think of Cecily's first encounter with a Tracy?<p>

Please let me know what you think while I see how quickly I can get the next part to you.


	9. Chapter 9

I am so sorry that I was so late with this. My awesome betas, JulesDPM and MissBubbles, got this chapter back to me a while ago and I only just now had a chance to get it posted.

I hope you like it ... **  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter<strong>** 9**

Keeping his main line open to listen in on his brothers, John kept the secondary channel open to the islike itland, but had patched together a makeshift auxiliary line to keep in contact with Cecily. It probably would be best to close that call and focus on the rescue, but he just couldn't do that. She had to be scared. After all, John was a trained International Rescue operative and **he** still got scared sometimes. Cecily was a scientist. She belonged in a lab, not stuck on a hundred year old rig in the middle of a storm while a burning ship sank nearby. No, he was going to keep that line open, just in case she needed him.

"Dropping the pod now," Virgil's voice pulled him from his thoughts.

Shaking his head in an attempt to focus, John checked on the weather. Good, the storm was starting to pass. As much as the rain was helping to keep the fires down, better conditions never hurt.

"Okay Gordon, I want you to get a closer look at the damage. I want to know exactly what we're dealing with."

"FAB."

"Virgil, while he takes care of the liner, I want you to start evacuating the crew."

"Already on it, Scott."

Listening to his older brother's calm instructions, he relaxed slightly. Scott had everything under control and there was not much else John could do from his end. In fact, the only thing he really could do was wait.

"Hey John," Scott chuckled, "that's some girl you've got there."

Of course, he agreed entirely, but still wondered how his brother had come to the same conclusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she's stuck here, watching us try to rescue a burning tanker, and the only person she's worried about is you."

John blinked at the radio, half wondering if he'd heard him right. Well, he knew he'd heard him right as there was no interference and Brains's system was the clearest around. Still, it didn't make any sense. Why would Cecily be worried about him? He wasn't anywhere near the danger zone. In fact, according to his current altitude, he was 223 miles above it.

"Why is she worried about me?"

"I'll tell you later."

He was about to argue, but thought better of it. A rescue operation wasn't exactly the best time or place for a casual conversation, no matter how much he wanted to have it. Virgil and Gordon needed them focused right now.

"Thunderbird Two to mobile control."

"Go ahead, Virgil."

"Scott, my thermal imaging has picked up some more fires; these ones are much closer to the tanks."

"How many of the crew are left on board?"

"Four."

"FAB. Gordon?"

"Yeah Scott?"

"The tanker is-"

He was cut off as the sound of an explosion filled the radio. John jumped to his feet, listening to Scott frantically try to get a hold of their brothers, but another scream caught his attention.

"JOHN!"

The pure terror in Cecily's voice made him want to rush to her side, but he couldn't leave his brothers. Not when they could be … No, he couldn't think like that. Virgil and Gordon were alive until someone proved otherwise. But he was still torn. Cecily needed him, but so did his brothers. Then again … who said he had to choose? Muting his end of all feeds, John opened up two-way communication with mobile command.

"Scott, what's happening?"

"The tanker blew. Virgil got thrown in the blast and I don't see Gordon."

"I'm right here, Scott."

John let out a sigh of relief, not remembering a time when he was more glad to hear the aquanaut's voice. But there was no time to relax, more people needed his attention. Muting Scott's line, he switched over to Cecily's.

"It's okay, honey," he said gently. "Everything is going to be okay."

"John?"

"I'm right here. Just stay calm and we'll take care of everything."

John wasn't sure if he was trying to reassure her or himself, but he didn't have time to figure it out. With the flip of a switch, he muted his end of the auxiliary line and checked in with the island to let his Father know that Gordon was okay, before jumping back to Scott who was getting a report from their red-haired brother.

"I was already past it when it blew, but was caught in the blast and it knocked out my radio. How's Virgil?"

The radio went silent and John felt a growing sense of dread. Virgil had been right above the tanker when it went up. Thunderbirds were built to take a beating, but not the pilots inside. If Virgil had not contacted them by now …

"Thunderbird Two to mobile control."

"Virgil! Are you alright?"

"I'm okay, Scott. I put Two on auto pilot and went below to get the last of the crew. I only got two, the others were blown into the ocean."

"FAB, Virgil. Gordon, can you see the crew in the water?"

"Yeah. Heading back to pick them up."

"Good, get them on board and get back to the pod. Virgil, once Gordon is secure pick him up and get those men to a hospital."

"FAB." They replied in unison.

Looked like the rescue was a success … but was it over?

"Scott?"

"Yeah, John?"

"Is the rig at risk?"

"It shouldn't be, but I'll do a structural scan before I leave."

"Thank you. Thunderbird Five out."

Now that the rescue was wrapping up, John was able to focus his attention back on the one person who still needed it. After closing down the other channels, he raised his hand-held.

"Cecily? Are you alright?"

For a moment there was nothing and John feared the worst. He was just about to call Scott to check on her when her voice came back.

"Yes, sorry. I … uh … I was keeping busy."

"Busy?"

"Well … I had to do something, otherwise I would have run back over there and interrupted the rescue."

"What did you do?"

"Okay, just don't laugh … I was cooking."

John blinked at the radio. That wasn't what he'd expected, but then again, he didn't really know what he'd expected.

"You were cooking?"

"Kind of … I was preparing food anyway. Um … Do your guys like sandwiches?"

**/O\O/O\O/O\**

For what seemed like the hundredth time that day, John once again wished he was back on Earth. Of course, half an hour before he'd wanted to get down there to save Gordon. Now, he wanted to strangle him, and Alan for that matter. Because, while he was stuck on Five, his family enjoyed the treats that Cecily had sent home with Scott, and the youngest two were making it very clear just how much they were enjoying them.

"Oh, wow," Gordon gave an exaggerated sigh. "This is **so** good. You have no idea what you're missing!"

"I gotta say," Alan mumbled around a mouthful of sandwich, "you sure know how to pick 'em. Even her peanut butter and jelly is amazing."

"That's because it's not peanut butter and jelly," John smirked.

Okay, so just because his brothers were teasing him, didn't mean that he should discredit Cecily's cooking skills. Still it was kinda worth it to see the looks on his younger brothers' faces. Gordon, having already eaten three halves, looked suspiciously at what was left of Alan's second.

"She made the spreads from plants she created in her lab," John explained. "It's perfectly safe, healthier even."

"That would also explain the coffee," Jeff commented, sipping a cup of the dark brew.

"Yes, she infuses the beans with flavor while they're still growing," John continued. "Then she combines different flavors of beans to make different brews. I think you got what she calls her 'harvest blend'. It's various nuts and spices, I'm not sure which."

"It's good though," Scott chimed in. "I'll try and save some for you when you come back down here, but I'm not making any promises."

Shooting his older brother a knowing smile, John refrained from commenting. Not that he had to. Everyone knew that the coffee was at greater risk of being finished off by Jeff than anyone else on the island. However, the thought of going home reminded him of one of the main reasons he called the island. He hadn't wanted to say it in front of everybody, but it was now or never.

"Speaking of when I come back down, I would like to make a request."

"You want to meet Cecily in person."

Jeff's comment was far more statement than question, and John should have known that his father would have guessed what was coming. Scott didn't look surprised either, same with Virgil. Gordon's face split into a teasing grin while Alan seemed more focused on figuring out what was in his sandwich than what his family was talking about.

"Yes, Father," John answered, not that he needed to since they all seemed to know it already. "And I was hoping that she could come to the island."

John held his breath as Jeff considered his proposition. Talking to the girl was one thing, but showing her their organization was vastly different. But he had given this a lot of thought and, especially after the tanker rescue, he didn't want any more secrets between them. She deserved better.

"I think it's a good idea," Scott chimed in.

"I agree," Virgil added. "It's obvious that she'll keep our secret."

"Yeah," Gordon chuckled, nudging his younger brother, "look what she did when she thought Alan was out to get us."

"That wasn't funny," the younger blond grumbled.

"Still, he has a point," Scott concluded. "And we have given tours to people we haven't known as long."

John could see by the look on his father's face that it was working. There were some days he just loved having brothers.

* * *

><p>So what do you think?<p>

Let me know while I finish up the next part.


	10. Chapter 10

Thank you so much for your patience. With midterms, I have had so little time to do much of anything aside from homework. On top of that, this chapter kinda ran away from me and ended up two to three times the length of my previous chapters. (Not that I think you will mind.)

A huge thanks to JulesDPM and MissBubbles, you two are awesome! :)

Enjoy ...**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 10<strong>

Cecily tossed and turned, trying to relax enough to fall asleep, but not even the serenity of a calm sea could soothe her racing thoughts. The adrenaline rush from the rescue had yet to subside, even though it had been hours since the Thunderbirds left. How did they do this week in and week out? Those men had to have nerves of steel. Finally giving up on sleep, she pulled on her coat and headed across the rig to her lab. The night air had a slight chill to it as she hurried over to the main structure. Settling down at her desk, Cecily gave her notes a brief glance before quickly deciding work wasn't going to happen either. There was only one thing she could do. One glance at the clock told her it was a long shot, but they had talked later then this before.

"Please be up," she whispered to herself.

She picked up the radio hand-held and took a deep breath. She hated to bother him, especially if he was asleep, but this was the only way she could get any peace.

"International Rescue, this is Death Trap. Come in International Rescue."

It took about a second longer than usual, but soon a familiar voice came on the line.

"This is International Rescue. I guess I don't have to ask how your day is going."

"No, it's pretty much the same as when your men left," she sighed. "I don't know how you guys do it."

"Well, most of us have some form of military training, so we're kind of used to working under pressure."

"You were in the military?"

It was a stupid question, and she was an idiot to ask it. Even if he was, he couldn't tell her since they had already agreed to a no detail policy on his end. Still, it was hard to picture her sweet, caring John as a soldier. A poet or writer, sure. A teacher, definitely. But not a soldier, with guns and tanks.

"I was in NASA, before joining International Rescue. Scott was a pilot in the Air Force, and Gordon an aquanaut with the WASPs, just to name a few."

Cecily blinked in surprise. She hadn't been expecting an answer, especially not one that gave details of his organization. As much as she would love to know more about her friend, she would hate to be the cause of any trouble for knowing too much.

"John, are you … are you sure you can tell me this?"

"I wouldn't have told you if I wasn't."

There was so much trust and certainty in his voice that Cecily was struck speechless. The last person who trusted her with anything was her Grandfather when she was thirteen. And now here she was, being given the most closely guarded secret of the century. How do you even respond to something like this?

"And that's not all."

"What do you mean?"

"I … I want you to come to our base."

How she stayed upright, Cecily would never know. She had never been invited anywhere. No, barbecues, sleepovers, or even birthday parties that weren't thrown by family. She had long ago accepted a life of loneliness. But that was before John. That was before she dared to dream.

"I-I don't know what to say," she stammered. "A-Are you sure?"

"Completely. It won't be for a few weeks though, when my tour is over. Scott has already offered to come and pick you up in Thunderbird One; he's just waiting on your answer."

Commander Scott was okay with it? That must mean that John had already cleared the visit with his superiors. And how could she possibly turn down an offer that he had gone to so much trouble to make? Never mind the fact she'd been dreaming of meeting him for months and had wished on every star in the sky that someday it would happen.

"So … will you come?"

"Of course I will," she grinned. "I would love to."

"Great," he replied, with what sounded a lot like relief. "However, there are a few things you should know first …"

**/O\O/O\O/O\**

As Cecily set up her automatic sprinklers she wondered if she was going to suddenly wake up and realize that it really was a dream. In less than an hour Thunderbird One would arrive to transport her to the most secure place on the planet. She, the very definition of social outcast, was being escorted to the base of the most secretive organization in history. It hardly seemed real.

"Ow!" She yelped, as a thorn pricked her finger.

It was definitely real, she thought bitterly as she stuck her thumb in her mouth to ease the pain. Though how she, of all people, had the good fortune to befriend a member of one of the most amazing families that ever existed was beyond her. Family. She still couldn't get over that. They were a family; brothers in arms as well as blood. John had told her about each one of them, speaking with such pride and affection that she couldn't help but envy his relationships with them. Her own brothers were practically strangers to her, and until they learned how to act half as decent as John and his family they would stay that way.

"Happy thoughts," she whispered to herself. "Think happy thoughts."

Pushing away the painful memories of the last time she saw her family, Cecily finished up with her plants and headed back up to double check that all her machines were on standby mode. Not that she needed to, since she'd done it just before heading down to set up the sprinklers. It looked like everything on her rig was taken care of for the next several days. Days. John had told her to pack for a week. How long did it take to get to this base? She was shaken from her thoughts when a horn blasted from somewhere very close to her rig. Curious, she picked up her radio and headed out to the deck to see what was going on.

"What is the world?" Cecily breathed.

Sailing right up to her was the largest yacht she had ever seen. Not that she had much to compare it to, but even she could tell that whoever owned it possessed both money and power.

"Oil rig, would you come in please?"

Startled at hearing a voice other then John's come through her radio, Cecily nearly dropped it as she tried to respond.

"Um … this is the oil rig. Do you need some help?"

"Oh yes, I'm in a terrible fix," the woman answered in a crisp English accent.

Hearing the distress in the woman's voice immediately sent Cecily's mind racing. If she was in trouble they would have to call International Rescue. Then again, a boat like that was bound to have a decent enough radio to call the coast guard. So why come to an old oil rig for help? Did they have structural damage and need to abandon their ship? Cecily sure hoped that wasn't the case, since Thunderbird One was due to arrive soon and she couldn't risk someone seeing Scott or his plane.

"What's the problem?" She asked, crossing her fingers that it wasn't too serious.

"You see, I'm on my way to San Francisco for a dress fitting and my navigation system has failed. Would you be so kind as to let me take a look at your map?"

She didn't know whether she should sigh in relief or scream in frustration. Was she serious? This lady was risking the safety and security of International Rescue for a dress fitting? Unbelievable! Of course, in her defense, she had no way of knowing how much trouble her actions were causing, and to turn her away might cause a lot of unneeded suspicion.

"Sure," she said as brightly as she could. "I'll bring it down to you."

"Oh, no need to trouble yourself," the voice said quickly. "We shall come to you."

"Really, it is no trouble," she assured her. "I've got a ladder right here."

"Wonderful. We shall be up in a moment."

The next thing Cecily knew she was having tea with a well bred lady while an old man looked over her maps. One glance at the clock told her she had to get rid of these people fast. But how?

"This is a very remarkable tea," the woman exclaimed. "Where did you get it?"

"I grow my own."

"Why isn't that lovely?" she smiled, tucking a blonde strand behind her ear. "I'm afraid I am no use in the garden. Plants are lovely to look at, but take far too much time to get results."

"To each her own, I guess."

"Quite. Machines, however, have always fascinated me. The power and speed they get things done, it's extraordinary. Don't you agree?"

Cecily nodded, but was actually paying very little attention to the conversation. She was far more interested in the clock as it got closer and closer to the time that Scott was supposed to pick her up. Maybe he would be running late. But that was ridiculous. From what John had told her about his brothers, none of them were ever late for anything … well, almost anything. He had mentioned a time when Alan attempted to miss a dentist appointment, but it was Scott who had eventually got him there. It was still strange to think of that commanding individual as John's older brother, when the younger of the two was so sweet and gentle. Then again, Scott had been just as gentle when he told her Thunderbird Five wasn't coming to the rescue. Of course now she knew what he found so funny, but how was she to know that it was a space station?

"Don't you agree?"

Cecily blinked as the woman looked at her expectantly. She must have zoned out thinking about meeting John and his family, she hadn't heard a word her guest had said.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, what was the question?"

"I was saying that it would sure be something to catch a glimpse of one of International Rescue's planes. Don't you agree?"

Suddenly it felt as if her blood had run cold. The lady was asking about International Rescue. Now it could just be polite conversation, or it could be that she didn't find Cecily's rig by accident. Did she know about her friendship with John? Did she know that Scott would be on his way to pick her up any moment? It would help if she knew something about these people. They hadn't even bothered to give her their names! Forcing herself to remain calm, Cecily knew there was only one thing to do; lie.

"I guess it would be, but since they only come out for disasters, I'm not sure I would want to."

"Well, I would," the woman insisted. "And I would pay quite a high price to do it."

Though the lady's voice was light, Cecily got the distinct feeling that she was being bribed. Now the woman may want to see the Thunderbird planes out of innocent curiosity, but even if that was the case it was out of the question. John had trusted her with his family's secret, telling her everything but the coordinates of their base, and there wasn't enough money in the world to make her betray that trust.

"I think you would do better to save your money for other things." Cecily said coolly.

"Do you now?" The woman raised a perfectly arched eyebrow.

"Yes I do. Those men are heroes, not some kind of side show attraction to be gawked over."

"The way you talk it sounds as if you have a personal connection to them."

Easy now, Cecily told herself. The woman was getting suspicious, if she wasn't already. She had to throw her off somehow. She had to keep John's secret.

"I don't need one," Cecily stated firmly. "All I need to do is read a newspaper to know how great those guys are. They risk their lives to help anyone who needs it and all they ask in return is privacy. I think that the least we can do is give them that."

The woman smiled gently, her eyes shining with something close to pride or admiration. Not that Cecily could understand why. She had just put the lady in her place, why would she be happy about that? Maybe it was a British thing. That had to be it. She would never understand the British.

"Have you got all we need?" The woman called to the old man.

"Yes, M'Lady."

"Then we;d best be going."

She rose with all the grace and pose of a queen, before reaching out to squeeze Cecily's hand. A bit startled by their abrupt departure, she could only stare dumbly as the man rolled up one of her maps and headed for the door.

"It was very lovely to meet you," she smiled warmly. "We shall have to do this again sometime."

Before she could respond, the woman swept out the door onto the deck. Jumping to her feet, Cecily rushed after them. She made it outside just as the pair was disappearing over the ledge, their voices drifting up with the wind.

"Cast off, Parker. I have a phone call to make."

"Yes, M'Lady."

Cecily's heart filled with dread as she helplessly watched the yacht sail away, and not towards San Fransisco. A phone call? To whom? About what? Suddenly the thought of going to John's base tied her stomach in a knot. What if they knew she knew about International Rescue? What if this was only the first try to get her to talk about it? Well, they could try as many times as they wanted in as many ways as they wanted. She would never give up John or his family. But maybe that was the answer. If someone knew she was talking to John they might try to use her to get to him, and she couldn't let that happen. With a heavy heart, she knew what she had to do. Heading back inside she picked up her radio, but her voice couldn't form the words. Tears filled her eyes as she thought about a life without John, but it was the only way to keep them safe. But just as she tried again, the roar of an engine filled her ears. Scott was here. Slowly, she headed out to the helipad, trying to compose herself before she had to face John's brother.

"Good morning," Scott greeted, stepping out of his beautiful plane.

"Sir, I-"

Once again the words she knew she had to say caught in her throat and Cecily burst into tears. Immediately, Scott was at her side, his face full of concern.

"What's wrong?"

"I … I-I can't … I c-can't go w-with you," she sobbed.

Rather than questioning her on the spot, though his eyes said he wanted to, Scott wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gently led her back into her lab. He guided her into the chair that she had vacated only a moment ago and poured her a fresh cup of tea. She took it, but had no desire to drink the hot liquid. He didn't seem to mind and simply placed a comforting hand on her arm.

"Now, I want you to take your time and tell me what happened."

With a shaky breath, she told Scott all about the woman from the yacht. She relayed how the woman had questioned her about International Rescue and then left quickly. Finally, she told him about the last words she heard before the ship left.

"So you see," she sniffed, "I can't meet John now, or ever. I know too much already, and can't put him, or the rest of you, in danger like that."

"You wouldn't be," Scott gave her a small smile. "That woman is no more a threat to John than I am."

"What?"

"She's one of our operatives," he explained.

"You mean … it was just a test?"

"More than likely. She did know I was coming to get you today and probably wanted to make sure it was safe to do so. I wouldn't be surprised if she was still in the area, making sure it was clear for us to take off."

Cecily stared at her cooling tea, letting his words soak in. A test. It had only been a test to make sure she wouldn't sell them out. But didn't John trust her? He said he did, and Scott seemed to. So who ordered the test? Maybe it was his father. After all, he had both his organization and his son to think about. Yes, it must have been him. With that thought in mind, all her apprehension melted away. There was no danger, just a concerned father looking out for his children. And she could hardly hold that against him. In fact, she wished her own family cared as much about her as John's cared about him. No doubt her father and brothers would have let someone take advantage of her, and then tell her that she should have known better than to let it happen. Her mother too. In fact, they'd do what she thought the woman had wanted to do and try to use her to get to International Rescue. They'd tell everyone that she had been to their base, that she knew each member personally. If that happened, they all would be in danger.

"No," she shook her head. "I still can't go. What if next time it's not an operative? I just can't take that risk."

"You would rather abandon John?"

His words startled her so much that she almost dropped her cup. Is that really what she would be doing? She knew that she would be alone, and as hard as that was she'd done it before. But what about John? He didn't deserve a life of loneliness, but he still had a family.

"He has you."

"Yeah," Scott agreed. "But he needs you."

And she needed him. She wouldn't leave John like that. Cecily set down her cup and stood on shaky legs, Scott reaching out to steady her. She gave him a nervous smile and straightened her shoulders.

"As some British guy my grandfather always quoted said, 'to be alive at all involves some risk'."

"Some British guy?"

"Grandfather was always quoting people, like politicians and philosophers," she explained. "I never could remember their names."

Scott laughed and picked up her bags, leading the way back to Thunderbird One. Once he got her settled in the hold, he headed back to the cockpit. Soon they were soaring through the air. It was amazing, even if she couldn't see anything but the walls of the hold. She wondering if they were crossing the ocean, or maybe flying over mountains. Before she knew it Scott's voice had announced the switch to vertical mode and they lowered to the ground.

"Here we are," Scott announced cheerfully, appearing at the door to the hold.

Suddenly the knot returned to her stomach. Outside this plane was John, the voice on the radio turned flesh and blood. What if he didn't like what he saw?

"Maybe this was a mistake," she said nervously.

"Come on," Scott smiled, holding out his hand. "John is waiting."

Swallowing her fear, she took his hand and allowed him to lead her into the large hangar.

* * *

><p>How do you think John willshould react when he meets Cecily face to face? (And the rest of the Tracy's island inhabitance, for that matter.)

I have another midterm in ... four and a half hours, and I work after that. But I will try to get started on the next part just as soon as I can. In the meantime, feedback is always appreciated.


	11. Chapter 11

Sorry for the big delay on this one. I had some trouble with the ending (such as the fact it did not WANT to end) and was not very satisfied with it. Then I sent it to my betas. After their amazing work, and a partial rewrite (which added about a thousand or so words), I ended up with what you are about to read.

An extra big thanks to MissBubbles (who's notes inspired the rewrite) and JulesDPM (who was willing to go over it twice). You're both awesome. :)

As for the rest of you, enjoy ...

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><p><strong>Chapter 11<strong>

John paced the floor, checking his watch for the fourth time in just as many minutes. Where was Scott? Shouldn't he be here by now? Had something gone wrong?

"Calling Thunderbird Five."

"Thunderbird One is still en route," came Alan's irritated response. "It has not crashed, blown up, or vanished over the Bermuda triangle."

As glad as he was to hear that report, it still set him on edge.

"What's he doing in Bermuda? That's the opposite direction!"

Alan rolled his eyes and cut communication. John was just about to call him back when he felt a hand on his arm. Glancing up, he saw Virgil looking at him with an expression that was a cross between caring and amused. Gordon, standing a few feet away, just looked amused.

"They'll be here soon, John. Just relax."

"I know. It's just …"

"Just what?"

John sighed, running his hand through his hair. Normally, he didn't talk about his feelings with anyone but Scott, and maybe his father or grandmother. But since Scott was out and the rest of his family was getting ready for Cecily's arrival, his brothers were the only ones left. The only question was, was the risk of being teased for the rest of his life worth the chance of some peace of mind?

"What if Cecily doesn't like me?"

"Well, there are four more of us …"

"Gordon, leave your brother alone," Jeff scolded, coming down into the hangar. "John, I just spoke to Scott. He's on his final approach."

"Thank you, Father."

Though the news that Cecily was practically here should have helped him relax, it had the opposite effect. John felt as if he had a dozen butterflies fluttering around his stomach. She was practically here. Cecily, the beautiful voice on the radio was about to become flesh and blood. He needed to sit down, but he couldn't stand to be still. So, he went back to pacing.

"John, relax," Virgil repeated, catching his arm. "It's gonna be fine."

His brother had a point. It would probably be better not to appear too anxious when Cecily got here. She was almost here. Cecily was coming to his home. After seven months he would finally meet the girl on the radio … and it terrified him. What if she didn't like him in person?

"You know," Jeff's voice cut through his thoughts. "I remember one time when I was afraid to meet a girl."

"Really?" John turned to his father with a curious expression.

"Yes, junior prom. It had taken weeks for me to build up the courage to ask her out, but when the night came I was so nervous that something would go wrong that I nearly tripped over my feet on the first dance."

"Did things turn out alright, Father?" Virgil questioned.

"I would say so," Jeff replied, having to raise his voice to be heard over the engines of Thunderbird One. "I married her."

John smiled at the thought of his mother. Maybe things would turn out well for him and Cecily too. Of course, he couldn't marry her; International Rescue didn't leave room for that kind of thing. But maybe, just maybe, it would all be okay.

The next thing he knew Virgil was nudging him forward as the hatch to Thunderbird One's hull slid open. Scott appeared first, but a moment later John almost forgot he was there. It was Cecily. Her long brown hair was clipped back, but still fell in soft waves around the shoulders of her simple, violet sun-dress.

"Cecily?" John called, stepping forward to help her down from the plane.

"John," she whispered back, her silver eyes lighting up with her smile.

She had always described herself as a 'plain Jane', but in that moment John could have sworn that she was the most beautiful girl in the world. But as he stood there grinning like an idiot, content to just take in the image of her, his line of sight was cut off by a head of red hair.

"Hello, I'm Gordon," the intruder said, holding out his hand.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she blushed, placing her delicate hand in his. "I'm Cecily."

"No need to apologize," John cut in, sidestepping around his brother. "I should have introduced you."

Pushing back Gordon, he took her by the hand and led the way to where the rest of his family was waiting. John could feel her tension level rise with each step, but could only squeeze her hand in comfort. She confided in him the other day that she didn't know how to act around families, since hers was hardly a good model to go by. Well, he was going to have to change that.

"Father, Virgil, I would like you to meet Cecily. Cecily, this is my brother, Virgil, and my father, Jeff."

"Pleased to meet you," she said softly, taking each by the hand.

"The pleasure is ours," Jeff replied with a warm smile.

"Likewise," Virgil added.

She smiled shyly, glancing at John in a silent plea for instruction. However, he wasn't the only one who noticed her discomfort and both Gordon and Virgil excused themselves to help Scott unload her things off of Thunderbird One.

"John, didn't you have something delivered this morning?" Jeff asked, inclining his head towards the workbench.

"Oh," he mentally kicked himself for forgetting. "Thank you, Father."

He went over and retrieved a beautiful vase of exotic flowers. At the sight of them, Cecily's eyes lit up and she placed a hand over her mouth.

"Gloriosa rothschildiana," she breathed. "You … you remembered? I-I must have only mentioned them once."

"Well, you mentioned they were your favorites," John smiled back, handing her the bouquet of fire lilies.

"Thank you," she said, breathing in the scent of the flowers. "I brought you something too."

Tucking the vase in the crook of her arm, Cecily walked over to where the others had just finished unloading her luggage. Alongside a suitcase sat three large crates and a medium-sized black box.

"The big ones are for International Rescue in general, but the small one is for you," she explained.

While Scott helped Cecily place the black box on a nearby workbench, Gordon started to open the crates. The first one held a selection of odd looking fruits and vegetables, her hybrid produce no doubt. Grandma and Kyrano were going to love that one. The second made the red-head grin as he pulled out a couple of jars, each containing a different spread. But just as John turned to see what his gift was, Gordon let out a joyful cry.

"Ha!" he exclaimed, holding up a cloth bag. "She brought more coffee."

"A year's worth by the look of it," Virgil commented, peering into the crate.

"Yes, well," Cecily blushed. "John said you liked the batch I sent before, but that it didn't last long. I guess I just assumed you drink a lot of coffee."

"Oh, we do," Virgil assured her.

"Yeah," Gordon added, subtly motioning towards their dad. "We drink a lot of coffee."

"I saw that," Jeff commented, before turning to Cecily. "Thank you for thinking of us. We really appreciate the gesture."

"Oh, it was my pleasure," she replied sincerly. "Besides, it's nice to know someone is enjoying my creations other than me."

"What about your investors?" Jeff questioned.

"Investors?" Cecily asked, giving John a baffled look.

"The people who fund your research," he explained.

"Oh, I know what they are," she said quickly. "I was just confused as to why you thought I had any. I don't have any marketable products yet."

"What about these?" Gordon inquired, gesturing to the contents of the crate.

"I don't think there is much demand for genetically engineered coffee," Cecily responded with a shrug. "The only reason I came up with it in the first place was because I work a lot of nights and got bored with the regular stuff."

"Exactly," Gordon grinned. "There are a ton of people in the same boat. You'd make a killing!"

"You never thought about selling your creations before?" Virgil questioned.

"Not really," Cecily admitted, undoing the latches on the sides of the black box. "I mean, I do sell my hybrid produce a few times a year, but that's just enough to get the few supplies I need. My rig is pretty self sufficient."

"What about your equipment?" Scott wondered.

"I bought it second hand. The rig too. Grandfather always said, 'A man in debt is so far a slave' … but I'm not sure who he was quoting."

"Emerson," John informed her, but his mind was elsewhere.

For the first time he started to wonder about her financial situation. The woman could manipulate a pear tree to grow oranges, but when it came right down to it she was just a simple farmer. No, farmers lived better … or at least, in homes that were not at risk of slipping into the ocean. Was that why she never moved? She couldn't afford anything better? In any case, this was neither the time nor the place to talk about this. Best change the subject.

"So, uh, what's this?"

"This is a survival kit," she said proudly, removing the top half of the box. "Or at least, it is for someone who lacks terra firma."

Curious at the description, John took a look inside. There were two jars of preserves, that looked like her hyped-up peanut butter and some kind of blue jelly, and two bags of coffee. However, it was the lid that really got his attention. Almost as deep as the box itself, the lid held a lamp and a built in sprinkler system. He was just about to ask about it, when Cecily removed the food to reveal a folded up plastic tarp, two small paper pouches, a green vial, and four collapsible poles.

"You got him a tent with a built in shower?" Gordon guessed.

"What? No," she shook her head. "It's a portable greenhouse."

Cecily pulled out the poles, snapping them together and sliding them in place at each corner of the box. She then took the lid and placed it on top before securing the tarp around the outside to create an enclosed space.

"The red button controls the heat lamp," she explained, pointing to a trio of buttons on the side. "The blue button is for the sprinklers and the green one disperses plant food. You will have to provide the dirt, battery, and the water supply, but other than that it's ready for use."

"Did you make this?" Virgil questioned, examining the mechanism closely. "It's really quite good."

Cecily blushed, murmuring something about it not being a very original idea and how other models were probably much better. They were really going to have to work on this self esteem issue, John thought to himself. He didn't know much about greenhouses, even less about portable ones, but even he could see it was a great design. And with an engineer like Virgil backing him up, maybe they could convince her of that.

"Oh, John," she said, scooping up the two paper packets. "I got you some seeds to start you out. It's only big enough to grow one plant at a time, but I still wanted to give you some variety."

He took the packets and almost laughed when he saw the labels. Twenty count blue raspberry seeds and just as many for blue strawberries. Just the fruits he had been craving.

"These are great, thank you."

She smiled back, her eyes shining with pride and pure joy. Wow, she had beautiful eyes. They were silver gray and bright as moonlight. A man could get lost in those eyes, as John nearly did before Gordon's voice broke through the serenity of the moment.

"Hey Cecily, what's this?"

"Um," she looked over to see the canister the aquanaut had pulled out from among the coffee. "That's tea. John mentioned a few of you drink it, but I wasn't sure how many so I only brought a few flavors. Had I known about your other operatives, I would have packed more."

Hearing her comment, John frowned. He'd told her about everyone that lived on their island. Granted, he had yet to mention their network of agents, but with everything else she had just learned he didn't want to overwhelm her.

"What other operatives?"

He knew something was wrong as she looked from him to Scott and back again, confusion filling her eyes. Of course, he was just as confused. Had his older brother told her about their agents? Why would he? John made a mental note to question him about it later, but once he saw a hint of panic on her face he changed his mind. He wanted answers **now**.

"But … but Scott said … he said she was an operative," Cecily started nervously, gaze locking onto Scott. "You said it was okay … but if …"

She shook her head and turned back to Thunderbird One. John shot his older brother an accusing look before moving to cut her off. He could see tears forming in her eyes as she visibly tried to pull herself together.

"Cecily, what's wrong?"

"I'm so sorry John," she said, wringing her hands as the hint of panic started to turn to hysteria. "I … I can't stay here ... I knew this was a bad idea as soon as the woman showed up at my rig ... First the map... then the tea … and the money … and the 'Yes M'Lady' guy … and the phone call … and … and … I just know too much!"

"You don't know too much," Scott assured her, but it was too little too late.

"Yes I do," Cecily insisted. "I know your names, I've been inside Thunderbird one, I've seen Thunderbird two and … that little submarine. Was that a Thunderbird?"

"Yes," Gordon stated firmly, sounding a bit offended. "That's Thunderbird Four."

"Oh great!" Cecily almost sobbed. "Now I've upset Gordon; and of all your brothers you told me not to upset Gordon!"

While his brothers shot him confused looks, John focused on comforting his friend. He placed his hands upon her shoulders and spoke in a gentle voice.

"It's okay, honey," he assured her. "No one is going to use what you know against us. It's alright."

"But I-"

"Shh," John soothed, tilting her chin up so he could look her in the eye. "I wouldn't have told you about us if it wasn't safe to do so. The woman who came by your rig was our London Agent; an extended member of our team but not based out of here. That's all. You don't need to be scared. Everything is okay."

As the geneticist relaxed, John looked up to glare at his father and older brother. As angry as he was at his older brother for not telling him about Lady Penelope's visit sooner, he was furious at his father for ordering it in the first place.

"John?" Cecily whispered, a slight tremor in her voice.

"It's alright," he repeated, softening his expression and smiling down at her. "Now why don't you go get settled in, then I'll take you on a tour. How's that sound?"

"Okay," she smiled back, the light slowly returning to her eyes.

"Good," John stated, dropping his hands from her shoulders. "Virgil and Gordon will show you where your room is. I'll be up in just a minute."

She nodded and moved towards his younger brothers. Virgil had already picked up her suitcase and Gordon grabbed the vase of flowers. The aquanaut held out the vase in a grand gesture before offering her his arm. Hopefully his clown like attitude would convince her he wasn't upset at her comment about Four.

"Come on, Cecily," Gordon said, his tone cheerful. "We've set aside our best guest room for your stay. You'll have a walk in closet, a private bathroom, and the best part is the view. You can see ..."

His voice faded as the lift brought them up to the main house. But as soon as they were gone, John turned on his remaining family members, anger burning through his veins. They tested her. After he told them he had throughly checked her out, they did it anyway and it almost ruined everything. Cecily had been terrified that John would stop speaking to her for accusing Alan of being a terrorist, a 'test' would have been nothing short of a nightmare. She must have been a wreck, thinking that somehow she had given their secrets away. He leveled his gaze at his father, his voice reflecting the rage he felt inside.

"So, what did Penny say?"

"John," Jeff started. "You know it had to be done."

"Really? Because I already told you that I checked her out and she was safe to confide in, but I guess my word isn't enough anymore."

"It's not like that," Scott ran his hand through his hair. "This situation is … different."

"Different how?" John challenged. "We've brought people onto base before, and on even less background then we have on Cecily. Penny certainly didn't go test Tony and Bob before they came here. Or is this time different because I am the one bringing a guest here, and not Scott?"

"This has nothing to do with favoritism, John," Jeff stated firmly. "But you have to admit, your judgment when it comes to Dr. Evans is a bit clouded."

"You think that because I happen to like her I would put International Rescue, and the safety of our family, at risk?"

"John, we know you would never intentionally put us in danger," Scott assured him.

"But you think I might be so taken by her charms that I might miss something important, like being employed by a rival company or advanced weapons training?"

"We're not saying that," Jeff insisted, his voice taking on an irritated edge. "But even good people can cave, if put under the right kind of pressure. We had to be sure."

"You're right Father," John replied sarcastically. "We have to be sure. When she talked to Alan, she showed she would not bend if we were at stake. Today, she showed that she would not give us up for money. But, she still hasn't shown if she would cave under the threat of her own life. So what will that be, Father? You going to have Agent 47 drop her in an old mineshaft until she tells him what she knows? Or maybe Agent 22 can dangle her off the top of his high rise?"

"That's enough, John," Jeff snapped.

"No, Father, it's not enough," John seethed. "Your stunt today almost cost me my entire relationship with Cecily. And if you **ever** frighten her like that again … I'm leaving."

"You don't mean that," Scott stated quietly.

"Don't I?" John questioned, his glare shifting to his older brother. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a guest."

He stormed over to the lift and headed up to the main house, his own words echoing in his mind. He couldn't imagine giving up International Rescue, Thunderbird Five, or living on Tracy Island, but the idea of life without Cecily was just as unbearable. Though John hoped that it would never come to that point, would he walk away from everything for this girl he met over the radio? The scariest thing was, he had no idea.

* * *

><p>What do you think?<p>

On a side note, anyone care to guess with of John's brother's is the first to make Cecily feel completely relaxed? (Hint: It is NOT Scott.)

The next chapter is about a third of the way done (but I am home sick today, so you never know how quick that can change) and I'll try to get it posted within the week. (Give or take a day or two.) In the mean time, feedback is always appreciated.


	12. Chapter 12

Sorry for the wait. (Real life was out to kill me again.) Anyway ...

**HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY**

In honor of the holiday, I thought I would start posting this story again. (Seemed appropriate.)

Big thanks to my beta, JulesDPM, for her awesome and rapid work on this chapter. :)

Enjoy ..

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><p><strong>Chapter 12<strong>

Cecily set the vase on the table next to the window, admiring the view of a beautiful cove. From what she could see of the foliage, she was guessing they were somewhere in the South Pacific. John never mentioned that their base was on the ocean, but even with everything she knew about this amazing family, she still seemed to be just scratching the surface of who and what they were. The same could be said for John himself. She had never experienced him truly angry before. She had spoken to him when he was focused, stressed, and even scared; never angry. But something in his eyes told her that, at this moment, John was very angry. Of course, the ones who would know for sure would be his brothers. Cecily definitely knew the warning signs when Eddie or Ronny were about to go over the edge, and she barely interacted with those two. But watching Virgil and Gordon, two of International Rescue's operatives reduced to playing bell hops, she wondered if she should bother them. On the other hand, she had asked Scott about John during a rescue and he didn't mind. These two only had suitcases to worry about, so it should be fine … shouldn't it? Only one way to find out.

"May I ask you a question?" Cecily inquired hesitantly.

"Certainly," Virgil replied for the both of them.

"Is … ?" she paused to bite her lip before finishing quickly. "Is John angry?"

"Not at you," Virgil answered after a moment.

"He's incapable of being angry at you," Gordon added.

"But he is angry," Cecily sighed.

She shouldn't have said anything. She should have just trusted Scott. Why had she gone and opened her big mouth? Now she had upset John and Gordon, though the red-haired brother seemed to have gotten over it rather quickly. Still, Cecily was going to have to be careful what she said from now on, so as not to cause anymore problems.

"It's nothing you need to worry about," John said, stepping into the room.

Seeing him smile made her fears fade. He took her by the hand and led her out into the hallway. They stopped just a few doors down, probably so they were out of earshot of his brothers. Here he looked down at her, his deep blue eyes full of emotion.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" she asked with a frown.

What did he have to be sorry for? She was the one that upset him and his brother. He took a deep breath and glanced back the way he came.

"For this morning," he replied, a hint of bitterness in his voice. "I told Father that we didn't need to test you, but … I'm just really sorry that he did."

"But why wouldn't they?"

He seemed as startled by the question as she was for voicing her thoughts out loud. Of course now that she said it she would have to explain it. Big mouth strikes again. Darn it.

"I was just meaning … there are so many people who would try and steal your technology if they could. I hate to think of any of you getting hurt because you let the wrong person come to your base."

"First of all, we don't let just anyone on our base. In fact I can count the people we have shown around on one hand. Second, you don't need to worry about our security."

"How could I not?" Cecily blurted out. "John, you're my best friend. I couldn't bear it if something happened to you."

He smiled and gently placed his hand on her cheek. She closed her eyes and drank in his touch, never wanting the moment to end. Cecily knew she was lying to both of them when she labeled John as just her best friend. He was so much more than that. Next to her work, he was all she had in the world.

"I feel the same way," he whispered.

Her eyes flew open and for one second she wondered if he had heard her thoughts, but she quickly brought herself back down. She had only said that he was her best friend and that was the only way he saw her. Still, the sting of hurt in her heart was no match for the warmth in his eyes.

"Cecily, I hate the idea of you being hurt or scared. That's why I told Father not to test you. I already knew you would pass, so there was no reason to put you through that."

He had so much faith in her, more than she had in herself. Of course she knew she would never betray them for money, never knowingly betray them for anything. As far as she was concerned John's safety, and the safety of his family, were the most important things in the world. If this was the best way to make sure that she didn't jeopardize that, then so be it.

"I don't blame them," Cecily replied. "As much as I appreciate how much you trust me, I understand why they did it. They just want to protect you and I would kill to have a family that cared that much."

She studied the warring emotions on his face, trying to identify them. Anger, sadness, and another she couldn't identify. Pride maybe. She only ever saw it on her grandfather's face during his final years. Whatever it was, she really wanted it to overcome the others.

"Don't be angry at them," she pleaded. "I'm not worth it."

The last emotion won and he smiled. Pulling her close, John wrapped his arms around her, one hand resting on the back of her head while the other caressed her back. Cecily breathed in his scent as she clutched the front of his shirt. Even before he spoke she was on cloud nine, but his words sent her heart soaring into the stars.

"You are worth it," he whispered. "You just proved how much"

She tightened her grip, leaning into his chest. This had to be what heaven was like, only it didn't last. Not more then a few seconds later, John tensed.

"What is it?" Cecily asked.

She turned to see what John was glaring at and tensed herself. Standing in the hallway, not ten feet away was Gordon. He was leaning in one of the doorways, grinning from ear to ear. Remembering what John had warned her about after upsetting Alan, she couldn't help but wonder if he was going to retaliate for what she had said about his Thunderbird.

"Gordon," John said in a warning tone.

"Hey, I wasn't spying," the red-head insisted, raising his hands in surrender. "Grandma sent me to find you. She hasn't met Cecily yet."

"Then we'll be right there."

Gordon nodded and, with one last grin, headed back down the hall. Once they were alone John relaxed and took Cecily by the hand, but she held her ground. If she didn't get this figured out, she was going to be walking on egg shells for the next week.

"What's wrong?" John frowned.

"Um … how does Gordon retaliate?"

"What?"

He looked so confused that she wondered if she was remembering wrong. She had made mental notes of everything he had told her about his family, especially likes and dislikes. Perhaps she had misunderstood the original warning. Or maybe he had forgotten it.

"Back when I accused Alan of being a terrorist," she explained slowly. "You said that Alan broods and Gordon retaliates. Well, I upset him down in the hangar and just-"

"Oh, honey, you don't need to worry about that," John chuckled. "Gordon's retaliation is about as harmless as peanut butter … in fact, at one time, most of it involved peanut butter."

As they walked he launched into a story of how a slighted ten year-old had drizzled a melted form of the spread into Scott's hair while he was asleep after failing to take the younger brother to the movies. It had hardened by the time he woke up and he had spent an extra twenty minutes in the shower trying to wash it all out. John followed with how Scott got back at him the next night when he put apple sauce in the prankster's bed.

"You don't need to be afraid of him, or any of them for that matter," John promised. "Gordon might say things just to get a reaction, but that's it. So don't worry. They won't touch you."

He had no idea how much that reassurance meant to her, especially the last part. Her own brothers were a lot less civil in their disputes and getting caught in the crossfire would often result in a trip to the ER. For the first time since her grandfather died she felt safe around a family. As they entered the lounge she once again let her heart hope for a future with John and a family that cared, a day dream that she wasn't ready to give up just yet.

* * *

><p>So, what do you think?<p>

I was planning on putting more in, but this just seemed like a good place to end it.

Anyway, let me know what you think while I finish up the next part.


	13. Chapter 13

Sorry for the wait on this one. I was sick for about two weeks then on week three I found myself with three weeks worth of homework to do. (Not fun.) Anyway, I'm better now and I even lightened my class load, so I should have no trouble finding time to write. :)

Another reason for the delay is that this chapter refused to end. Now, I try and keep my chapters in the ballpark of 1000 words. When I realized that this chapter had grown to almost 3000 words, I decided to cut it in two. (Of course it's still double my minimum length, but i didn't think you would mind.) This is good news for you because I have chapter 15 almost done now. (Of course, I still have to write chapter 14 ...)

Anyway, a huge thanks to JulesDPM for her beta work. I can't say it enough, you're awesome. :)

To the rest of you, enjoy ...

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13<strong>

John left his room and hurried down the hall. He had overslept and experience told him that if he didn't make it to the table soon there may be nothing left. Of course, in cases like this, Grandma always saved something for the late comer, so he wouldn't go hungry. Still, the good stuff was always first come first serve.

"Morning John," Scott greeted, stepping into the hall and matching his brother's quick pace. "You sleep in too?"

"Alan needed some help troubleshooting and we got to talking," he admitted. "Didn't get to bed until late. You?"

"Earthquake in Malaysia. They ended up not needing us, but Virgil and I stayed up until we knew for sure."

"Yeah, Alan mentioned he was monitoring the situation."

Of course that hadn't been what they talked about. Tin Tin's birthday was coming up and Alan was trying to figure out what to get her. Not that John had any great insight into a girl's mind, despite his friendship with Cecily. Her own birthday had come just a month after they met. At the time, all he had been able to give her was a listening ear and a slightly off-key rendition of "Happy Birthday". Still, she seemed to appreciate it. Of course, this didn't help Alan much when it came to his dilemma.

"So, Cecily seems to be fitting in okay," Scott commented.

"Yeah," John agreed with a smile. "She is definitely becoming more relaxed."

"Around some more than others," Scott added with a teasing grin. "You better watch out or Gordon might just steal her away."

John shot his older brother a glare, but that just made his grin wider. It had been three days since Cecily arrived on the island and, when she wasn't at his side, she spent much of her time with Gordon. His laid back manner seemed to keep her more calm then the others did and he was one of the first ones to make her laugh. Even so, John was hardly worried. Gordon treated her like a friend, or maybe even a sister, and he could tell Cecily felt the same way. Besides, Gordon had enough of a self preservation instinct to know not to try anything. John may tell everyone that the two of them were friends and nothing more, but he knew it was a lie. Cecily had become an important part of his world and if his brother did anything to hurt that, or her-

"Come on!" Gordon groaned as they entered the dinning room. "You're killing me here!"

"I'm sorry," Cecily shook her head in sympathy. "I just don't think that a submarine can top a rocket-ship."

"What are we talking about?" Scott questioned, taking an empty seat.

"Cecily has been telling us which she believes are the best Thunderbirds." Virgil answered with a wide grin.

"I always knew she had good taste," John grinned, taking a seat next to his friend. "Good morning, Cecily."

"Good morning," she smiled brightly. "I'll go get your plate."

She rose and hurried into the kitchen, reemerging a moment later with Grandma. Each held a plate of food, but John couldn't help but notice that the one in Cecily's hands held more than the other. She set the food in front of him and poured a fresh cup of coffee.

"I wasn't sure what you wanted, so I got a bit of everything," she explained, handing him the steaming mug. "I hope it's not too much."

"He's lucky you saved anything at all," tutted Grandma, setting the second plate in front of Scott. "Imagine, three of you late for breakfast when we have a guest."

"Virgil and I were on call last night," Scott protested, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "And John was doing troubleshooting with Alan."

"Well, Virgil still made it to breakfast on time," Grandma shot back, muttering to herself as she returned to the kitchen. "I still have yet to see that father of yours."

John shook his head in amusement and dug into his food. Cecily's hybrid produce had been worked into nearly every meal, making each one more flavorful than the last. This morning was an egg casserole; with spicy sausage, sharp cheddar cheese and her enhanced mushrooms. On the side were fried potatoes, fluffy biscuits with gravy, and fresh fruit salad. It was a meal fit for a king.

"So," Scott started, spearing a piece of hybrid melon. "Which Thunderbird is the best?"

"Five," Cecily answered with a blush. "But not just because it's John's. I really think a satellite tops just about anything else."

"Can't argue with that," John agreed, biting into a blue strawberry. "Which one came in second?"

"One, the missile plane," Virgil answered for her. "Two came in third, but it was a close race."

"I take it Three was fourth and Four was fifth?" Scott guessed, sprinkling salt and pepper on his casserole.

"You coached her!" Gordon accused, glaring at John.

"Didn't need to," John answered, after savoring a sip of flavored coffee. "She's smart enough to know which is best."

"It's not that I don't like Four," Cecily insisted. "It's just that … I live on the ocean. A seafaring craft just doesn't have the same appeal as a rocket or a plane."

"I live **in** the ocean," Gordon replied. "And after Brains does the upgrades to Four's propulsion system I'm gonna show you how appealing a seafaring craft can be."

"Well, I look forward to it," she said sincerely. "but now, you will have to excuse me. Tin Tin is taking me on a shopping trip and I have to get ready."

She slipped out of the room and John turned back to his breakfast wondering if he would be able to convince Cecily to stay longer than a week. He knew she had work to get back to, but still. He was really going to miss having her around, and not just for the food.

"That's a really great girl you have there, John," Virgil commented, taking a sip of his coffee.

Since his mouth was full of casserole, John could only nod and grunt in agreement. He was glad his family liked her, not that he doubted they would. Cecily was the most incredible girl he had ever met and, since the rest of them seemed to agree, maybe she could come by the island more often. Not too frequently, she did have her own work to do after all, but every three months would be just fine.

"But you guys are just friends, right?"

Something about the tone of Gordon's question made John stop everything to glare at his younger brother. The jokes and comments that had plagued him for the first few weeks they knew about Cecily had all but disappeared, especially since she came to the island. Looks like it was about to start up again.

"I was just thinking-" Gordon started.

"No," John said, cutting off whatever his brother was about to say.

"But if you-"

"**No.**"

Gordon opened his mouth to try again, but shut it quickly as he started to stare at something in the doorway. Curious, John turned to see Cecily had come back in. She looked a bit pale and slightly shaken. He jumped to his feet and crossed over to her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Cecily, are you okay?"

"Um- yeah, I'm okay," she answered quickly but quietly. "Uh, I was wondering if I could make a phone call? Alone?"

Torn between demanding answers and wondering who she would be calling, John just nodded and led the way to Jeff's study. Without another word she hurried inside and closed the door. The room had been designed for privacy, which frustrated John because he had no idea what was going on in there. He paced the hallway, trying to figure out who she suddenly needed to call. She barely spoke of her family, but he was under the impression that they had been out of contact for some time now. She didn't have any investors or labs that would need to check in with her. And on top of that, whatever it was had upset her. Based on that, and that alone, his money was on family. Nearly twenty minutes after she went in, the door slid open and Cecily stepped out. She looked small and broken, her eyes red from tears. John silently pulled her into a hug, rubbing her back in a soothing motion.

"It's okay, honey," he whispered. "Everything is gonna be okay."

"I know," she sniffed. "It's stupid to cry, but-"

"Hey," he pulled back and cupped her face. "Who said it was stupid to cry?"

"It doesn't matter," she sighed, obviously trying to put on a brave face. "Life goes on, right? Now, I better get ready to go."

Before he could say another word she rushed down the hall. Not knowing what else to do, John headed back to the dining room, all the while trying to get his own emotions under control. It broke his heart to see Cecily so upset, but it also made his blood boil that someone had hurt her that badly. And the worst part was, he didn't know who it was or what they had done.

"What was that all about?" Virgil questioned as John took his seat at the table.

The astronaut barely heard him and just silently stared at his plate. Who would Cecily call that could have upset her that badly? It had to be her family, there really was no one else. Was there?

"John," Scott called, giving him a small nudge. "Is everything alright?"

"No," he replied, shaking his head in frustration. "Something is wrong, I just wish I knew what."

"P-perhaps I might be able to h-help with that," Brains offered, appearing in the doorway.

"What do you know, Brains?" Virgil asked.

"More like how do you know?" Gordon added. "I thought that room was soundproof."

"Oh, i-it is," Brains started nervously. "Um, I-I was doing some routine checks o-on the communications system and p-picked up her call. I-I didn't mean to eavesdrop-"

"It's alright," Scott assured him. "Just tell us what you found out."

"W-well, it seems that when Cecily's grandfather died, h-he left her an old steamer trunk. S-she couldn't take it with her when she moved to her r-rig, so she left it with her mother. That was o-over a year ago. But then she g-got an email this morning giving her e-eighteen hours to pick it up and pay her back rent o-or else."

"Or else what?" John demanded, narrowing his eyes.

"Her m-mother is going to sell the trunk and everything that's in it."

"That dirty-" Gordon muttered. "It's not even hers to sell!"

"She d-didn't seem to care," Brains stated bitterly. "Cecily tried t-to talk her out if it, b-but her mother wouldn't budge. She plans on s-selling the trunk first thing t-tomorrow."

Not if he could help it, John thought to himself. His mind was racing as he formed a plan. He knew how close Cecily had been to her grandfather, how much that trunk must mean to her. No wonder she was so upset! Well, they were not going to get away with this. John would make sure of that.

"You said they were going to charge her back rent," Scott commented. "How much are they asking for?"

"S-six hundred."

"Dollars?" Gordon scoffed. "I think I have about half of that in my wallet."

"Same here," Virgil added. "We could pool our-"

"I'll pay it," John stated firmly. "Anyone know where Tin Tin plans to take Cecily shopping?"

"John," Scott started. "If you're thinking what I think you're thinking-"

"I'm thinking I'm going to get that trunk," John spat.

"And we agree," Virgil interjected. "But if you're going to do this, let us help."

John took a deep breath and nodded. This was one of those times it was really great to have brothers.

* * *

><p>So? What do you think of Cecily's family ... or at least the small glimpse you have of them?<p>

You will get a better picture in chapter 15, in the meantime I had a question. Does anyone know John's favorite color? (If not I can make something up, but it is going to come up in chapter 14.) Let me know if you know and, as always, I'd love to hear your feedback on the story. :)


	14. Chapter 14

Sorry about the mix up with the posting of this story. FF mixed up my chapters and posted chapter 14 of a different story. So sorry.

Anyway, people asked for a quick update, so here you go. :)

This chapter turned out a bit different from my original plan, causing some things to be pushed back to chapter 16, but I hope you like it.

Another huge thanks to my wonderful beta, JulesDPM.

Enjoy ...

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><p><strong>Chapter 14<strong>

Cecily sat on her bed, surrounded by paradise, but felt so alone. Letting her tears flow freely, she touched the tiny image of her grandfather nestled in the heart of her locket. She had been worried about her framed pictures breaking during the move and had left them in her trunk … the one that would soon be gone for good.

"I wish you were here, Grandfather," she whispered, closing the locket and holding it to her chest. "You'd know what to do."

Glancing at the clock, she realized that Tin Tin would probably come looking for her soon. She was so sweet, they all were, and she would hate to worry them on her account. Even so, part of her wanted to crawl under the covers and stay there until it was time to go home. She felt like she was losing Grandfather all over again and her heart couldn't bear it a second time.

Perhaps she should talk to John about it, he'd always been able to chase her pain away with just a few words. But she hated to drag him into this. He would want to confront her mother and the last thing she ever wanted to do was subject John to her family. No, she would just have to pull herself together and forget about her trunk. They were only memories after all. She still had all Grandfather's stories in her head, even if she didn't have the mementos that went with them.

"Cecily?" Tin Tin called, knocking on the door. "You ready?"

"Uh …" Cecily quickly dried her face. "J-just a minute."

She couldn't let her new friend see her like this. It was bad enough that John knew she was upset without the rest of the island pitying her. She hurried over to the mirror, frowning at what greeted her. Her eyes and nose were red from crying, which matched the blotches that marred her pale complexion.

She should have known better than to call her mother while staying with John. It never failed; five minutes talking to any member of her family turned her into a nervous wreck. At least she had learned how to erase all the signs. Grandfather used to get so angry if she showed up for a visit with red eyes. All she needed was a couple of minutes in the bathroom.

"Um … I'll meet you in the hangar," she called toward the door.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," she said, forcing her voice to sound cheerful. "Just give me a moment."

"Okay then. I'll go make sure the plane is ready."

Cecily held her breath until Tin Tin's footsteps faded before rushing into the bathroom. When she had first arrived she thought having a private bathroom was a bit extravagant, but now she couldn't be more grateful. It only took a few minutes and she had managed to look like her usual self. Just in time too, Tin Tin was probably doing the preflight checks. But when she entered the hangar, her friend was standing outside the plane with John.

"Cecily," he said, looking up when she walked in. "You feeling better?"

"Yes, thank you," she replied, forcing a smile. "I just needed time to pull myself together, that's all."

"I'll go see if Virgil needs any help," Tin Tin excused herself, stepping onto the Tracy family jet.

"Virgil?" Cecily questioned. "He's coming with us?"

"Only as far as the airport. He and I have business farther inland," John answered, taking a step closer. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah," she nodded, unable to look him in the eye. "I'm fine."

He cupped her cheek, turning her face up to his. There were such strong emotions in his eyes, the same that had been there when she wanted to leave on her first day. He was angry again, but at whom? Could it be her? Was he mad that she wasn't telling him the whole truth about what had happened earlier? But despite the war of emotion in his eyes, there was no malice in his voice.

"Honey, you know you can tell me anything, right?"

She wanted to tell him, wanted to be honest about everything, but she just couldn't. If John knew what her mother had done he would try and fix it, and in the process discover her true roots. Then what would he think, knowing she was barely a step above trailer trash with a family that was ten times worse? But looking into those deep blue eyes she knew she couldn't lie to him, even if she couldn't tell the whole truth.

"John, I … I can't, not yet," she whispered as the tears started to return.

"It's alright, honey," he replied softly, pulling her into a hug and rubbing her back.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I just … I'm so sorry."

"Shh," He soothed. "You don't have to say anything you don't want to."

"But I do," she insisted. "I just … I can't."

She pressed her forehead against his chest. She hated hiding this from him. After everything, after all the secrets he told her, it wasn't fair to him. Maybe he would understand her reasons for hiding it, but what about the rest of his family? Anyone might hear her and then where would she be?

"I'm sorry," she whispered, but he only pulled her closer.

"I'll still be here when you're ready," he said gently, stroking her hair with one hand. "It's okay, honey. As long as it takes, I'll be here."

And as she stood there, crying into his shirt, Cecily knew what she was going to do. Tonight, after dinner, John would take her on their nightly walk, as he had the last two nights. Once they were a fair distance from the house, she was going to tell him what he wanted to know. All of it, and not just about this morning. She was going to tell John everything.

The truth behind why she had gone to Grandfather's everyday, why she put herself through boarding school from age thirteen until she went to college, and why she never ever wanted him to meet her family. Cecily was going to be completely honest with someone for the first time in her life and it terrified her. She was afraid her past would drive him away, but knew she had to risk it. For in that moment, as he comforted her in the hangar, she knew that she had fallen in love with John Tracy.

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><p>What do you think?<p>

I was going to add more, but this just seemed like a good place to stop.

However, if this keeps up, I may have to make this a longer story than I originally intended. You see, I was planning to have this story be 20 chapters, but I may have to push it back to 25. Does anyone object to that?


	15. Chapter 15

So, here is the second half of the chapter that didn't want to end. (All in all, the whole thing is in the area of 5000 words.)

I got a few requests for a quick update, and i like to try and accommodate my readers. :)

Big thanks to the awesome and wonderful JulesDPM for her beta work. I couldn't accommodate without you. ;)

As for the rest of you, enjoy ...

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 15<strong>

Pulling up to a run down house, complete with full service trailer, John double checked to make sure they were in the right place. Could this really be where Cecily's family lived? The yard was overrun with weeds and framed with dead rose bushes. The house was once either a silver blue or a pale gray with what looked like white trim, but both colors became almost brown as you got closer to the ground. Looking passed the chipping paint and sagging roof, it had probably been a nice place once. The property was large, as was the house, but in its current state and sporting a large trailer it left much to be desired.

"Come on," Virgil urged, climbing out from the passenger seat of their rented van. "Let's get this over with."

His brothers had insisted that he bring someone with him, but made it clear that they didn't think he couldn't do it alone. As Virgil had so eloquently put it, in his mood he was likely to take the trunk and burn the house down if he didn't have someone to keep him grounded. Since, with John gone, Scott was the only one left comfortable enough to fly One into a rescue and Gordon was likely to cause more harm than good, Virgil had agreed to ride shotgun. So, he found himself walking up the dirty brick path with his middle brother at his side, trying to stay calm as he rang the doorbell.

"Who is it?" a gruff voice demanded.

"I'm here for the trunk," John called back.

The door swung open to show a man about Scott's age. His shaved head was covered in grotesque tattoos that ran down his neck and over his shoulders all the way to his wrists. If John was to guess, he would say that they probably continued under his white tank top over his back at least, if not his chest. Surprisingly, he didn't have any piercings … that were visible. If John was to wager another guess, he would say that this must be Eddie, Cecily's older brother.

"You're early," he muttered, standing right in the doorway. "Where's the money?"

Wondering exactly what he meant by early, John pulled out his wallet and selected six crisp hundred dollar bills. Were they planning on selling the trunk before the deadline, or were they just willing to for the right price? As he counted out the money, a second man appeared at the doorway. This one seemed younger than the first, or at least he had hair and significantly less tattoos. Other than that he looked like the first, only he wore a torn heavy metal t-shirt. Must be Ronnie, the youngest of the three. Once again John wondered how a sweet girl like Cecily could be related to these lowlifes.

"Must be a lot of money in antiques," the new comer commented. "You guys dress better than those big shots down town."

"We aren't antique dealers," John said coolly, thrusting the money into Eddie's hand.

"We're friends of Cecily," Virgil added in a similar tone.

Clearly he thought as highly of these guys as John did. Still, it seemed to be a higher regard than what they held their sister in. John's announcement seemed to stun them for a moment before Virgil's sent both into a fit of laughter.

"Cecilia-Bedelia?" Ronnie chuckled. "The midget maid herself actually managed to make a friend?"

"Two friends," Eddie corrected in a mocking tone. "So how much did the graceless wonder pay you guys to do this?"

John took a step forward, his fists clenching in anger. They had no right to talk about Cecily like that and he was about an inch away from teaching them a lesson when Virgil grabbed his arm.

"Easy," he whispered, before turning to the brothers. "We didn't come here to make trouble. We just want the trunk."

"Yeah?" Ronnie sneered, leaning against the door-jamb. "Well, friend, I happen to like trouble."

"So answer the question," Eddie sneered. "Why would two well dressed saps be doing anything for a social wash-out like Sissy-Cecily?"

Just as John opened his mouth to set the record straight, a shrill voice called out to the tattooed brothers. A moment later they were pushed out of the way by the owner, a tall woman with dull gray eyes. If not for the yellowed teeth and dyed red hair, she would have looked like an older version of Cecily. This must be the mother.

"Well hello there," she said, a seductive smile spreading across her face as she swept her gaze over the two Tracys. "You boys looking for a good time?"

Completely repulsed at the thought, John took a half step back before regaining his composure. He couldn't help but notice that Virgil did the same thing. Straightening his shoulders, he looked the woman in the eye and repeated his reason for coming to this God forsaken place.

"Ma'am, we're friends of your daughter. We came to pick up her trunk."

She seemed disappointed in the revelation, though she didn't find it as funny as her boys did. She just took a drag of her cigarette, and gave them another once over. At least this time the predatory gleam was gone, unfortunately it was replaced by distrust.

"Cecilia hasn't made a friend since she was five-years-old," Ms. Evans stated. "And it was an invisible unicorn named Pete. So what are you two really after?"

"We just want the trunk, ma'am." Virgil said in an amazingly calm tone. "Cecily couldn't make it herself so-"

"So she conned you two into doing her dirty work," Ms. Evans smirked, taking another drag of her cigarette. "Figures. She's been leeching off the rich since my husband left me."

"You talkin' trash about me, Rita?"

And now came her father. John turned to see Mr. Evans lumbering out of the trailer. He was a balding man in his fifties with a beer gut wearing a grungy flannel shirt and jeans. He gulped down the last of a drink and tossed the can back inside his mobile home. Cecily had once mentioned to John that she spent much of her childhood away from her family; now he could see why. No one with the sweet disposition of Cecily could have gotten that way surrounded by these people.

"Who're these two? Bill collectors?" Mr. Evans demanded, glaring at the Tracys. "Well, she's the land owner. Talk ta her."

"We are not bill collectors," John ground out between clenched teeth. "We are friends of Cecily."

"Is that a fact?" Mr. Evans spat, making his way toward the front door. "Well I suggest you find a new friend; that little brat ain't worth the trouble."

While the rest of the Evans family murmured in amused agreement, John saw red. The words that Cecily had spoken to him the day she arrived starting ringing in his head, but this time he noticed a deeper meaning to the simple phrase.

_"Don't be angry at them, I'm not worth it."_

He had often asked himself what kind of people she had been around to make her feel so inadequate. Now he had his answer, and it made him sick. Shaking off his brother's restraining arm, he stepped forward and grabbed hold of Mr. Evans as he passed.

"How can you talk about her like that?" John seethed. "She is your **daughter**."

"Yeah," Mr. Evans scoffed, yanking his arm free and getting in John's face. "She is the same daughter that cheated her entire family out of a fortune!"

John took a deep breath to keep himself from strangling the man. He wasn't sure what he was talking about, but he had the feeling it had to do with the inheritance Cecily received when her grandfather died. He knew the elder Mr. Evans had been wealthy, at least enough to pay for his granddaughter's education. But how was that cheating?

"You don't know, do you?" the foul smelling man sneered. "See, my old man cut me off years ago, said we ain't good enough for his money. Then, when my wife and I split, Cecilia goes and starts buttering the old fossil up to try and weasel her way back into his will."

"Spent every day in that snobby rest home," Ms. Evan spat, inhaling the last of her cigarette. "Said it was to keep him company. Please. More like keep his money company."

"Well, the fool fell for it. Left her as sole heir," Mr. Evans finished. "And what does she do with the money? Fancy boarding schools, fancy colleges, all to get a stupid fancy piece of paper."

"You mean her doctorate degree?" John questioned coldly.

"Doctorate, smoctorate," Ms. Evans scoffed, lighting up a new cigarette. "She still doesn't know the difference between an Advil and a Motrin."

"Actually," Virgil cut in, sounding slightly irritated with a touch of forced calm. "There really isn't a difference between an Advil and a Motrin."

"Hello?" Ronnie rolled his eyes. "The **color**? You think all those years of, so called, higher education would have taught her the difference between red and white; stupid little freak."

John's knuckles had to be white with how tightly he was clenching his fists. He had just about had it with these people! The next one who said something against **his** girl was getting a black eye.

"Now now, Ronnie, let's be fair about this," Eddie said in a soothing tone. "I understand why she wasted all her money at school. I mean, with her looks she had to have **something** going for her."

That's it!

"Eddie!" Ms. Evans shrieked, as her son was flattened in the foyer.

Ronnie took a step forward, but was blocked by Virgil, leaving John to face off against Mr. Evans. The older man had fire in his eyes, but it was nothing compared to the rage burning through the astronaut's veins. They had gone way too far and it was time to set the record straight.

"Who do you think you are?" Mr. Evans demanded, glaring daggers into the clean cut brothers. "You come to my place and attack my son! Who do you think you are!"

"I'm Cecily's boyfriend," John said, his voice deadly calm. "I'm the man who loves your daughter."

Silence fell over the group as all present stared at him in shock, including Virgil. John was surprised himself that he had actually spoken the words out loud that he had barely acknowledged in his head. But now that they were out, there were a few other things he had to say to these people.

"That's right, I love Cecily. She is a brilliant, strong, beautiful woman who is doing great things with her life; things you couldn't even imagine. And you know what the most amazing part of it is? She did it all under **your** oppression and if I could I would marry her tomorrow just so I could spend the rest of my life discovering just how incredible she is. Now, I will ask you one more time to give me what is hers or I am calling my lawyers."

"Like we're scared of a couple of lawyers," Eddie grumbled, gently prodding his cheek.

John restrained himself from hitting the little prick again. Still, it looked like his speech had actually turned them against him more than the punch did. Well, he'd come this far, why not go all the way? Time for the big guns.

"I'm an executive officer of a multi-billion dollar company," he informed them. "I have more then a couple of lawyers."

To emphasize his statement, John handed one of his business cards over to Mr. Evans. He sneered at it, but soon the older man's face fell and lost quite a bit of color. This was one advantage to Cecily's family living in Nebraska. Tracy Enterprises' first factory was just across the state line. They may or may not know who he was, but they certainly knew about his father's company.

"Y-you're … you're a …"

"Tracy," John finished. "Yes I am."

"And … you?" Mr. Evans asked, looking at Virgil.

"I'm his brother."

He couldn't help but feel a certain amount of satisfaction watching as each member of the Evans family realized who they were dealing with. But once it hit them, the change was uncanny. Mr. and Ms. Evans started smiling at them, while Eddie and Ronnie happily went to fetch the trunk. John suddenly got the feeling he shouldn't have brought his family name into this.

"You know," Ms. Evans started as her sons loaded the steamer trunk into the van. "I always knew Cecily would find a nice boy someday. Maybe the two of you could come for a visit sometime?"

Just as he opened his mouth to refuse the invite, the reality of the situation hit him like a ton of bricks. They were gold diggers and he had just told them that their daughter was connected to one of the world's wealthiest families. Oh God, what had he done? As soon as he left they were going to contact Cecily and either try to get her to come back to them or see if they could get any money out of her. He wasn't worried about her betraying them and their secrets, but after this morning he didn't want these people to even speak to her. He looked to Virgil, who appeared to be thinking the same thing. While his younger brother made a phone call, John turned to the members of the Evans family.

"All set," Mr. Evans said brightly. "Anything else we can do for you?"

"Yes, there is," he answered seriously. "Forget you ever had a daughter."

The family looked stunned, but that emotion was quickly replaced with anger. It was ironic really. These people had apparently spent years treating Cecily as an outcast and now that they finally wanted her they weren't going to get her. He would make sure of that. Still, it didn't look like they were going to go quietly.

"You can't keep me from my child!" Ms. Evans shouted.

"We don't have to," Virgil cut in, stepping up beside John. "As we speak there are restraining orders being filed on behalf of Cecily and the Tracy family. One of our lawyers will be by to give you all the details, but basically you can not come within a hundred yards of Cecily, any member of the Tracy family, or any of the Tracy Enterprises properties. In addition to that you can not contact Cecily, our family, or our company under penalty of law. Is that understood?"

"B-but …" Mr. Evans sputtered. "You can't just-"

"Look, if you want us to stay here and argue with you we can," Virgil continued calmly. "But those papers will take effect in a matter of minutes and then it will become a matter for the police. So, you really want to do this?"

John may not have been a lawyer, but being a billionaire bachelor will teach you a thing or two about restraining orders. Mainly, that everything his brother just said was ten percent truth and ninety percent crap. Luckily, the Evans family didn't seem to know the difference. So, angry, but defeated, they backed down and the two Tracys headed toward the airport. The drive was fairly quiet as John mulled over what he had learned about Cecily's past. She really was a wonder, accomplishing all that she had in that sort of environment. Maybe she got it from her grandfather.

"Did you mean it?" Virgil asked after a while.

"What?" John asked, looking over at his brother.

"What you said back there, about how you feel about Cecily," Virgil looked him in the eye. "Did you mean it?"

Putting his focus back on the road, John took a deep breath. He did mean it, every word. He'd just never realized how much until today. But still, it didn't change anything.

"Does it matter?"

"Yes, John. I think if you love her that matters. That matters a lot."

"Not in our business."

He looked over at Virgil, the pain he felt mirrored in his brother's brown eyes. They both knew that what he said was true. He could not marry Cecily, no matter how much he might want to, no matter how much he might love her. International Rescue did not leave room for that kind of thing.

* * *

><p>So, what do you all think of the Evan's family? You think she is better off with the Tracys?<p>

Let me know what you think, I really do take suggestions and requests in mind when I write.

Meanwhile, I'll get started on the next chapter. :)


	16. Chapter 16

This chapter is dedicated to Chrysexanthe who was the only one who answered my question about John's favorite color, even if they didn't know it. (As you will see in the first conversation in this chapter, the input helped a lot. ;) )

I would also like to thank my fantastic beta, JulesDPM and everyone who has reviewed thus far. (It's people like you that keep me writing.)

Anyway, here's the next part. Oh, and if you thought you hated Cecily's family before, just wait until you get to the end of THIS chapter.

Enjoy ...

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 16<strong>

Cecily looked around the store, feeling as out of place as a daisy on a rose bush. The trip had started out fine, going to various shops looking at hats, scarves, shoes, and whatnot. However, Tin Tin apparently had an ulterior motive to bringing her to Los Angeles. It seemed there was some kind of party planned in honor of her visit and each store had built up to this last one: the dress shop.

"What about something in blue?" Tin Tin suggested, looking over a flowing indigo gown.

"I don't know," Cecily sighed, wincing at the thought of tripping over all those layers. "Looks a bit … big."

"Come on, you must like something here."

And she did, she just couldn't see herself wearing any of them. The fanciest thing she owned was a gold pocket watch that had been Grandfather's … but that was still in the trunk. Cecily shook the thoughts out of her head and focused on the dresses. She found one in a soft shade of rose and held it up to her new friend, who was examining a shimmering lilac gown.

"You would look lovely in this."

"Yes, and you would look lovely in this," Tin Tin replied as they traded dresses. "I think John would agree."

Cecily wasn't so sure, but she couldn't help but notice it was he same color as the sash on John's uniform. She supposed if she did have to get a dress, she would want one that he would like. But was lilac the best choice?

"Do you know John's favorite color?" Tin Tin questioned, holding a cerulean gown in front of the mirror.

"You know, I don't think he's ever said what his favorite color is, at least not to me," Cecily admitted, passing over a dress of dark green. "Do you know it?"

"Oh, you know him far better than I do," Tin Tin shrugged. "I would guess blue, but that's just because it's what he painted his room."

"Okay … so what do I get?"

"Are you having some trouble?"

Cecily looked up to see a man in a stylish suit headed their way and he introduced himself as Martin. Just by looking at him, she knew he had ten times the fashion sense she had and was thankful for the help. She had never cared much for her appearance, but this time she wasn't just trying to look good for herself. At this party, and for the first time in her life, she wanted to look pretty. For John.

"We are trying to pick out dresses for a party," Tin Tin explained.

"I'm guessing it's a formal party?" he questioned, motioning to the things they had already pulled out. "Any special occasion?"

Cecily blushed at the question, but her embarrassment got worse as Tin Tin explained that her arrival at the family home was the reason for the party. She even hinted that there was someone special in attendance; and just when she thought she couldn't become more red.

"So, we need a dress to impress, do we?" Martin smiled. "Do you have a certain color or price range we need to adhere to?"

"Well … um," Cecily stammered, trying to find her voice. "I like purples and blues, maybe pinks, but as far as price goes-"

"The sky is the limit," Tin Tin cut in.

"Alright then," Martin smiled. "Let's see what we have."

As the salesman headed out to select a few dresses for them, Cecily looked at her friend in shock. The average cost of just one of these[s] dresses could cover her supplies for a month. Besides, Tin Tin had already paid for this whole outing, she couldn't let her cover this too.

"No," she shook her head. "It's too much and you already bought me enough today."

"But Cecily, I am not paying for it," Tin Tin responded. "Mr. Tracy is picking up the bill and he said to get whatever we wanted."

Mr. Tracy, Cecily thought as she tried on the first of the gowns. John's father was buying her a dress? Of course, she knew he could afford it, what with his international company and all. But she barely interacted with the man. The last real conversation she had with him was in the hangar on the day she arrived. Maybe this was his way of apologizing, or perhaps he was just being nice. In any case, when she stepped out of the dressing room and saw herself in the three way mirror it took her breath away. She looked like a princess; she just hoped her prince would like it.

**/O\O/O\O/O\**

The flight back to the island was pretty quiet, John and Virgil both seemed to have a lot on their minds. Cecily suspected that their business might not have gone well, but John assured her that it had been concluded satisfactorily. Whatever that meant. She never did have much of a head for business. Putting the thoughts out of her mind, she decided to focus her attention on what she was going to say to John when they went on their walk. Just to make it easier for both of them, she figured she should write it down, just in case she got too overwhelmed to speak.

For the few hours she had between their arrival back at the island and when it was time for dinner, she toiled over her notes. She didn't want to leave out a single detail, no matter how much it pained her to tell him. Her biggest fear, though, was that John might try to confront them. She knew how dangerous her family could be and she would never forgive herself if John got hurt because of her. Maybe this wasn't a good idea, she thought to herself as their meal came to a close. All it would do was upset him, was it really worth it? But looking around at John and his family, how wonderful and open they had been with her, she knew she had to do it.

"You ready, Cecily?" John asked with a gentle smile, as he got up to clear their plates.

"Um … yes … uh … just give me a second."

She left a rather perplexed group of Tracys behind and hurried back to her room. She pulled her notes out from under her pillow and gave them a once over. Her heart clenched at the memories and once again she almost lost her nerve. But she reminded herself that this wasn't just about her anymore, this was for John. That thought was the only thing that brought her back to the lounge where John was waiting.

"Everything alright?" Jeff asked from behind his desk.

Cecily gave him a warm smile, nearly crying when she saw the concerned faces of John's brothers. She wished she had been blessed in the same way as John, that she could have had a caring family. But this was no time for regrets, it was time for the truth.

"I'm alright, Mr. Tracy. I just had something to show John."

"Oh?" John raised an eyebrow. "What would that be?"

"Um … can I show you on the beach?"

"Sure," he smiled, grabbing a lantern off the table. "See you all later."

Knowing that Gordon seemed to enjoy following them, Cecily kept an extra sharp eye out for little brothers as the two headed down to the beach. John either didn't mind or didn't notice her paranoia and simply walked quietly by her side all the way down to the cove. This was it, she thought as they took a seat on the secluded beach and gazed up at the stars, it was now or never.

"John …" she started quietly. "We have to talk."

The lantern cast an eerie glow across his face, causing his frown to look even deeper. She swallowed hard, wondering if she should just hand him her notes and let the chips fall where they may or open her mouth and tell him what she had wanted to tell him that morning in the hangar. She somehow managed to steel her courage and find her voice. After all, John deserved more than just the truth. He deserved to hear the truth from her.

"This morning I … I called my mother."

"Oh?" he asked, his eyes harder and colder then usual.

"Y-yes, she-" Cecily gulped, looking down at her feet. "She is selling my trunk."

Afraid that another pause would make her lose her nerve for good, Cecily launched into the story of how Grandfather had named her sole heir to his estate. He had also written her a letter saying that he wanted her to keep whatever trinkets she liked and sell the rest to pay for her education.

"The trunk has everything I kept in it," Cecily finished, wiping away a few stray tears that ran down her cheeks. ""It's all I have- I mean, it's all I had left from him."

"Honey, I-"

"Please," she interrupted. "I … I just need to finish this."

"What else is there to say?"

"This didn't start with the trunk, it just ended with it."

She pulled the notes out of her pocket, her eyes filling with tears as her mind flashed through each painful memory. She didn't know how far she would make it through the list, but she was going to try. John deserved the truth about her and her family. Every heart-wrenching detail.

"I guess it started when Dad and Mom divorced. It was just after I turned seven …"

She couldn't look at him as she told her story, but she heard him gasp when she got to the details. The time her father beat her with his work boot because she forget to polish his dress shoes. The time her mother raked her nails across her back to try and teach her to endure pain. The time Ronnie dragged her from her room by her hair when she didn't make dinner on time. And the time Eddie pushed her down the stairs just because she was standing in his way. Each memory brought a new wave of hurt and shame, and she could feel the anger radiating off of John causing her to stop. Cecily had promised herself to be honest with him, but maybe this was too much too soon. Maybe she shouldn't continue? But then, when would she get the nerve to finish?

"What happened after that?" John asked, his voice quiet and hard as stone.

She didn't want to say. She wanted to run back to her room and pray that this night would start all over. Still, she owed it to him to be honest, so Cecily took a deep breath and kept going.

"After that, I turned eight …"

* * *

><p>So, you want to kill Cecily's family yet?<p>

You guys were right, she is MUCH better off with the Tracys.

One last little side note; if anyone has a suggestion for what Cecily's dress should look like, feel free to let me know. (I have an idea, but I'm flexible if you have something better.)

Anyway, I'd love to hear from you while I type up chapter 18. (Chapter 17 has already been sent to my beta for a final edit and should be up shortly. :) )


	17. Chapter 17

Sorry for the late posting on this, but I have been sick for a while now and spent most of the day in bed.

A couple things before I get to the chapter, one of my reviews mentioned the Gogan family from "Pete's Dragon" as being like the Evans family here, and I must admit the comparison is pretty close. However, my inspiration for Cecily's past actually came from a couple of songs:

"Because of You" ~ Kelly Clarkson (Cecily's theme song of her family life before John)

"According to You" ~ Orianthi (Cecily's theme song of her family life with John)

Of course, Cecily and John had their own theme song, "So Close" from the movie "Enchanted".

Anyway, a big thank you to JulesDPM for going over this chapter (twice).

Enjoy ...

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 17<strong>

John tried hard to keep his temper in check as Cecily recounted her life story. Every year of her life seemed worse than the last, with only school and a retirement home offering her sanctuary from the pain. It was heartbreaking.

"I-I fell a-asleep at Grandfather's on … on Tha-Thanksgiv-giving," she sobbed. "That was the night he … he …"

Wrapping his arms around her, John rubbed her back as she relived the loss of her grandfather. He suddenly realized how hard that time of her life had to have been for her. Not only did she essentially lose her best friend, she lost the only person in her life that didn't abuse her. Devastating just didn't seem like a strong enough word.

"At the- at the funeral I met Grandfather's lawyer," Cecily sniffed, obviously trying to get her emotions under control. "That's w-when I found out … I-I didn't even know there was a will."

She took a deep breath and wiped her eyes. This time she didn't look at the crumpled notes in her hand. Cecily rested her chin on her knees and stared at the sand.

"The day we found out was the first time I saw Mom smile since the divorce. Dad wanted to take us out to eat to celebrate. Over dinner they told me what they were going to do with the money … I-I told them no. I n-never did that b-before."

John dreaded to think what happened when that horrid family found out they wouldn't be getting a dime. It must have been something pretty bad, because she started to cry again and handed him her list. As he read it his anger was growing every second. He wanted to kill them. He wanted to kill them all for what they did to Cecily. How could someone treat another human being this way? And not just any human being, but their own flesh and blood? It made him sick just thinking about it, and he couldn't imagine what it did to Cecily. She had to live with these memories everyday, in constant fear that more would be added to the list at any time. Once he was at the end, he looked over at her. She had pulled her knees up to her chest and buried her head in her arms. She looked so small, so helpless, and John knew what he had to do.

"Is this all of it?"

She tensed at the sound on his voice and nodded. He couldn't tell if she was retreating from the memories or what she thought his reaction was going to be, but it still hurt to see her this way. Reaching out, John placed a comforting hand on her shoulder before digging a shallow pit in the sand.

"What are you doing?" she wondered, wiping a few tears off her cheeks.

He just gave her a small smile, placing the papers in the hole and pulled his lighter out of his pocket. Cecily stared at the flames, mesmerized, until the testimony of her abuse was nothing but a pile of smoldering ash.

"Why did you do that?" she asked, her voice small.

"Because that part of your life is over and I don't want you to be afraid any more."

He cupped her face in his hand, caressing her cheek as if he could erase all the bruises her family put there. He couldn't take her memories, no matter how much he wished he could, but he could try to ease her pain. He could try to take the fear out of her eyes.

"They can't hurt you anymore," he promised. "I won't let them."

"But you can't stop them."

"I already did."

Cecily looked up at him, confusion clouding her silver eyes. Guess it was time for him to make his confession. But how would she react knowing he went behind her back? He dropped his gaze and took a deep breath. She had bared her soul to him tonight, the least he could do was tell the truth.

"Brains was doing a check on our communications system and overheard your call."

"So … you knew."

"Yes."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I wanted you to tell me," John admitted, running a hand through his hair. "I didn't want to confront you with something you weren't ready to talk about."

She sat silently for so long, John peeked over to try and guess what she was thinking. Her face was sad as she slowly traced a circle in the sand. Suddenly he got a bad feeling he messed up. He was about to apologize when he was cut of by her quiet voice.

"What did they do?"

"What?"

"When you confronted them, what did they do?"

He wasn't sure if the truth would cause her more pain, but it was clear they had both moved passed the secrets stage of their relationship. So he told her, everything from the moment he knocked on the door to filing the restraining orders. Once he was finished, they sat quietly for a moment as Cecily stared at the circle she made and John stared at her. There were tears in her eyes and John couldn't help but wonder if he had just made her life worse. If only she would say something.

"You hit Eddie?"

"I had to," John gave her a small smile. "He kept putting down my favorite girl."

Next thing he knew her arms were wrapped around him. He returned the embrace, breathing in the soft floral scent that was so completely Cecily. At that moment nothing else in the world existed, there was just him, her, and the soft whisper in his ear.

"Thank you."

**/O\O/O\O/O\**

"So, which one is the rabbit?"

John couldn't help but smile at the memory of their last attempt at stargazing. Of course this time, having Cecily curled against him with her head resting on his chest, there was no comparison. To put it simply, this was what paradise truly was.

"You can't see Lepus right now," he murmured, gently rubbing her back. "It's below the horizon."

"Oh," she sighed, snuggling closer to his side and twisted slightly so her face was turned toward the sky. "What can we see?"

"Quite a bit actually," John started, pointing out the visible constellations. "There is Ursa Major, Canes Venatici-"

"Any animals?"

"Actually, they're both animals," he chuckled. "Ursa Major is the great bear and Canes Venatici are hunting dogs."

"Whose hunting dogs?"

"Since the 17th century, they've been the herdsman's dogs, but that was only due to a mix up in the translation."

Hearing only a soft sigh in return, John brushed back Cecily's hair to try to determine if she was still awake. Her eyes were closed and a gentle smile had spread across her face. She looked peaceful, though serene might be a better word. Unfortunately, while checking on his girl he also put himself in a position to see his watch. Was it really that late? It's a wonder search parties hadn't been dispatched. As much as he hated to disturb her, John knew it was time to head back to the main house.

"Honey?"

"Hmm?"

"We should probably get back to the house."

"No," she groaned, keeping her eyes closed and snuggling her face into his side. "Just a few more minutes. I wanna hear about the stars."

She sounded a bit like a pouting child, which only made her even more adorable and John had trouble saying no. So, he started to list off the rest of the constellations in sight. By the time he got to Draco and Hercules she was sound asleep.

Carefully lifting her into his arms, John carried her back up the trail. Not wanting to bring her through the lounge, his brothers had enough to tease him about already, John headed for the kitchen entrance. Kyrano must have seen him coming, because he had the door open the second they reached it.

"Ah, Mr. John, would you like some help?" he asked quietly.

"No, thank you," John whispered back. "I'm just gonna go put her to bed before I hit the sack myself. Could you let Father know that we made it back okay?"

"Of course, whatever you need."

"Thanks Kyrano … oh and there is one more thing. You think we can keep this just between us? I mean about Cecily being … and how I-"

"Oh, I understand. Your secret is safe with me."

He breathed a little easier knowing that his brothers weren't going to find out that he carried Cecily in from the beach, or at least not from Kyrano. Slipping down the hall as quietly as possible, he managed to get to Cecily's room without running into any more people and gently placed her on her bed. He removed her shoes and pulled the blanket up to her chin, once again brushing the hair off her angelic face.

"Goodnight, sweetheart," he whispered, brushing a kiss on the top of her head. "Sleep well."

He quietly made it back to his room and changed for bed, but sleep did not come easily for him. Cecily's family was even worse then he thought and if he was going to make sure that they never got to her again he was going to need help. Help that came in the form of Jeff Tracy. The only question was, how much of the girl's past could he share without betraying the trust she placed in him? Unable to sleep, John headed out to the lounge, where he was not surprised to find his father sitting at his desk with a stack of paperwork.

"I thought you went to bed," Jeff commented, glancing up when he entered.

"I couldn't sleep."

John took a seat on the chair across from the desk as tried to decide how he was going to say this, especially since he hadn't had a serious talk with his father since threatening to walk out on the family a few days before. He knew Jeff had forgiven him for his outburst, just as John had forgiven him for scaring Cecily. Neither one had expressly said anything, but it was still mutually understood, just as he was sure his father knew there was something troubling him. No use avoiding the situation, it was probably best to just say it.

"Cecily was abused."

"By whom?" Jeff questioned with a frown.

"Her family. It's been going on since she was seven and didn't even lighten up after college," John vented, letting out a frustrated sigh. "It's bad, dad. She can't even talk about them without crying."

"I see," his frown deepened as he set down his pen and looked John in the eye. "And what do you plan to do about it?"

"I don't know," John admitted. "I mean, Virg filed restraining orders this morning, but that was before I knew … I just don't know if it will be enough."

"Hmm," Jeff tapped his pen against his desk, a sure sign that he was thinking. "Well, I'm glad you brought this to my attention, but right now I want you to get some sleep."

"What about the Evans family?"

"You let me worry about them, just go to bed."

He spoke in his authoritative tone, the one that had scared more then one employee and silenced even the most unscrupulous reporter, and John couldn't help but smile as he walked out of the room. If anyone had the resources and the know how to get this situation taken care of, it was his dad.

"Hello, Jeff," a gentle voice came out of the lounge, causing John to stop just outside the door. "It's good to hear from you again so soon, but isn't it a bit late for a social call?"

"Well, Penny, I'm afraid this isn't a social call."

"I see. What seems to be the trouble?"

"It's about Cecily's family. How much information did you get on them?"

Yup, John thought with a smile as he headed back to his room, this was going to be taken care of really well. The Evans family didn't have a prayer.

* * *

><p>Looks like we don't have to worry about Cecily's family coming back, huh?<p>

Let me know what you think while I get to writing the next part. (Assuming I can stay awake long enough.)


	18. Chapter 18

Again, sorry for the wait, but I only just this morning started to feel better.

Thanks once again to JulesDPM for her awesome beta skills.

Enjoy ...

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 18<strong>

Cecily tried to finish the page she had been on for the last twenty minutes, but her mind was miles away. Last night had been … incredible. She had been terrified to tell John the truth about her family, she never dreamed he already knew half of it. He handled the situation like a prince, she could not have asked for better.

"Good book?"

"Not really," she sighed, looking up to smile at Gordon as he plopped down on the couch next to her. "You all done with your upgrades?"

She hadn't seen much of the brothers all morning, including John. They had been talking about upgrading various systems on the Thunderbirds at breakfast before Mrs. Tracy had insisted they stop speaking in "techno-babble" so the rest of them could understand. Cecily hadn't had the heart to tell her she could follow most of the conversation, or at least the parts that dealt with computers instead of engines.

"Four is done," Gordon replied. "John and Brains are working on Three now, but it could take a while. I was thinking you could join me for a test run."

"Of Thunderbird Four?"

"What, did you think I was kidding yesterday?"

"Well … a little."

Gordon laughed and motioned for her to follow. Cecily hesitated, but allowed him to lead the way to Four's hangar. It wasn't as if she was afraid of John's brother, but after yesterday she wasn't sure how much they knew and therefore how to act around them. Her fears quickly melted as they launched into the ocean. As they moved through the reefs surrounding the island, Cecily had to admit she was impressed, and not just with Thunderbird Four or the scenery. For all his jokes and easy going nature, Gordon could be quite the professional when he wanted.

"Alright, Alan," he called into his radio. "I'm starting the first lap now."

"Okay," came Alan's voice in response. "I'll track your progress from here. Keep an eye on that propulsion system."

"FAB, Thunderbird Four out."

Cecily wasn't sure when and how he was able to do what Alan said though, because the moment he cut the radio call he started up a commentary of what they were seeing. It really was incredible, like visiting another world. She was just starting to wonder if John enjoyed underwater expeditions when she noticed Gordon changed the subject.

"Did you find a nice dress?'

"Um … yes, I did," Cecily blushed. "I should really thank your father for that."

"Not really necessary, but you can if you want to. Just do us a favor and do it after the dinner."

"Why after?"

"Well …" Gordon started slowly. "John doesn't exactly know about the party."

He wouldn't have surprised her more if he announced the engine was on fire. What did he mean John didn't know about the party? How could he not know? Why would he not know?

"Wait … what?"

Okay," Gordon took a deep breath. "You know how Tin Tin told you the party was for your visit? Well, that was both true and false. It is for your visit … and John's birthday."

No, **now** she would not have been more surprised if he said the engine was on fire. John never told her that his birthday was coming up. Of course when hers came it took him almost an hour to get her to admit it, but she had her reasons. Birthdays had never been very good for her, but that couldn't have been the same for John. He had a good family and a great life. What reason did he have to avoid his birthday?

"Let me explain," Gordon said, switching on the auto pilot and turning to face her. "When John asked if you could come here this week he asked for it in place of a birthday present. He said he didn't need anything else."

"Really?"

John wanted her? I mean, really wanted her? But he couldn't; he didn't. Did he? No, they were just friends. He said so himself … but then so did she. This was so confusing. Better to not think about it, she decided, banishing the thought to the back of her mind.

"Um, why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Honestly?" Gordon ran his hand through his hair and looked back to the control panel. "We were nervous that you'd clue John in. You guys don't seem to keep secrets from each other."

That was true, but she would have been able to keep a secret like this. Then again, there was no way his brothers could have known that, they barely knew her.

"It's alright," she smiled. "I understand."

"Great," Gordon grinned, switching back to manual. "Well, I better get you back before John starts wondering where we are."

Cecily sat there, staring at the rainbow of colorful plants and sea life they passed, but only vaguely aware of anything outside her own mind. Her visit was John's present, all he wanted. She had never felt so wanted in her life; so loved. Her meager gifts seemed to pale in comparison to all that he had done for her. If only she could give him something in return for all his kindness. But then, what could she give him? She didn't even know how old he was.

"How old is John turning?"

"He's 28 today," Gordon answered as he prepared to dock. "But remember, don't say anything until the party. I already went for a swim today, thank you."

Cecily giggled as she thought about how often one of the brothers wound up in the pool involuntarily. Tin Tin told her it happened all the time, but usually when Alan was home. In her four days on the island she herself had witnessed it once and the aftermath twice, and Gordon seemed to be involved every time. She loved this family.

**/O\O/O\O/O\**

Cecily bit her lip as she looked at the gown lying on her bed. She had barely seen John all day, mostly since Brains had been keeping him busy with upgrading everything they could think of in Thunderbird Three. But now it was time to get ready for the party and she was getting cold feet. What if he didn't like her dress or what if she tripped on the tulle skirt? Everything that could go wrong was playing out in her mind and she felt as if she would throw up.

"It will be alright," Tin Tin promised as she smoothed the skirt of her own pink gown. "Just remember, this is party is our gift to John."

Right, she thought to herself, this was for John. By the time Tin Tin helped her into the dress, the pair was joined by their London agent. Cecily hadn't expected to see her again so soon, but when she opened up a make up kit big enough to service a Broadway musical, she was thankful for the help.

"I hope there are no hard feelings from our last encounter," Lady Penelope said as she looked over an assortment of eyeshadow.

"No, ma'am, none at all," Cecily smiled. "You were only trying to protect the Tracys. I'd have done the same thing in your place."

"Quite. And do call me Penny, I should very much like us to be friends."

"Of course. And you can call me Cecily."

"Well Cecily, I do believe that John is going to adore you in this dress."

"You really think so?" she asked, looking down and fingering one of the sequins at the top of the skirt. "You don't think it's too much?"

"Oh no," Tin Tin stated, pulling Cecily's hair into an elaborate up-do. "You look beautiful."

A few minutes later, she had to agree. In fact, Cecily hardly recognized the woman in the mirror. She just hoped they were right about John liking it.

"Just one more touch," Lady Penelope added, placing a tiara in her hair. "Perfect. Now let's go and give John his surprise."

* * *

><p>So, you think John will like his surprise?<p>

Let me know what you think. In the meantime I will try and finish up chapter 19. (Sleeping 16+ hours a day doesn't leave much time for writing.)


	19. Chapter 19

Sorry for the wait on this one. If it makes any sense, I was feeling depressed since I am turning 25 tomorrow and have no husband or children. (Never mind the fact I am getting married next summer, all three of my older sisters were married with at least one baby by 25.)

Anyway, I finally made myself finish the chapter (I had already planned out what would happen, it was just a matter of writing it down) and my awesome beta, JulesDPM, got it back to me in almost record time. (Have i ever mentioned how awesome she is? :) )

SIDE NOTE: If anyone cares to see what dress Cecily got just do a search for a David's Bridal gown, style number 7671.

That all said, enjoy ...

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 19<strong>

John pulled the crisp white shirt off its hanger, wondering what Cecily would think of his new suit. He had asked for no birthday presents, since having his girl around was more than enough for him. However, his grandma found a loop hole by buying new suits for each of the brothers. Now she wanted a picture of the of four them, but all he wanted to do was find Cecily and have a nice birthday dinner and walk on the beach. Might as well make Grandma happy though. He looked up from buttoning his shirt when there was a soft knock at the door.

"Come in."

The door slid open to reveal Virgil, already dressed in his new clothes. He stepped in, closing the door behind and and took a seat on the bed. The expression on his face gave away that something was bothering him, but John was surprised that he came to his room and not Scott's. Maybe it was something their older brother didn't know about; something Virgil didn't want him to know about. Whatever the case, John was happy to offer a listening ear.

"What's on your mind?'

"I've been thinking about what you said, back at the Evans house," he admitted.

John didn't respond, mostly because he couldn't think of anything else to say. Virgil knew the rules as well as he did, as well as any of them did. Talking about how he felt about Cecily didn't change anything. As long as he was with International Rescue, they could never be more than friends.

"Did I ever tell you about Denver?"

Virgil's question was so sudden that John almost dropped his cuff links in surprise. Why would he be bringing up college at a time like this? But when he turned back to him the emotion in his younger brother's eyes told him he wasn't thinking about his classes.

"What happened in Denver?" John questioned, taking a seat on the bed.

"Nicole Rovella," Virgil sighed. "She was a student of musical theater at the University while I was getting my degree at Denver Tech. We met at a coffee shop during my second year. I was playing the piano and she started singing along."

"What happened?"

"International Rescue happened. Soon after Father let us all in on his plan Nicole suggested we both drop out of college to go work on Broadway. She never liked the idea of me studying engineering anyway, said it was a waste of musical talent. I couldn't tell her why I didn't want to go, so when she gave me the ultimatum …"

Virgil allowed his voice to trail off as he dropped his head towards the floor. John's heart went out to his little brother who had been carrying this pain for so long. Why hadn't he said something before? Then again, what could they have done if he had?

"I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," Virgil murmured, visibly composing himself. "The point I'm trying to make is that I blew it with Nicole. I let our work get in the way and never saw her again. Don't make the same mistake I did. If you really love Cecily, find a way. Because if you lose her, and you can trust me on this, you will regret it for the rest of your life."

John let the words sink in as Virgil headed for the door. He had never realized how much his brother had given up to be a part of their organization, though it did explain some of his early, moody, behavior. Still, there was one detail he left out.

"Did you love her?"

Virgil paused, halfway out the door and sighed. John felt bad asking, knowing how hard it was to have feelings for someone that you could never be with. Still, he needed to know.

"I thought I did. I guess it just wasn't meant to be," Virgil answered quietly before turning to smile at him. "So much for regrets. Come on, everyone is waiting."

He left before John could question him further and he followed him down the hallway. Entering the lounge, he soon saw that Virgil had not been exaggerating. Everyone was indeed waiting … in formal attire … with Lady Penelope … but no Cecily. To make matters worse, all of his brothers, as well as the women in the room, had this mischievous look to their smiles. Even Jeff appeared somewhat like the cat who ate the canary.

"What's going on?" he inquired, narrowing his eyes as their grins grew wider. "Where's Cecily?"

"Happy birthday, John," came a soft voice from behind him.

Seven months of listening to that voice had taught him how to read the emotion in it. Those three words held no distress, but she was definitely anxious about something. But what? He turned to look at her and his jaw hit the floor. Cecily was a vision in shimmering blue with a lilac sash separating the sparkling top from the flowing skirt. Her soft brown hair had been curled up over her head and a glittering tiara placed within it, but nothing could outshine the moonlight of her eyes. She looked like a princess. No, a goddess, but he doubted Aphrodite herself could have looked any better.

"You like it?" Cecily asked nervously.

"Like it?" John whispered, stepping up to cup her cheek. "Words cannot describe how beautiful you look."

Her face lit up with her smile as she raised her hand to cover his. In that moment everything was perfect; they were the only two people in the world … then Gordon spoke.

"What he'd say?"

Cecily's smile widened and without taking her eyes off john's she answered.

"He said yes."

**/O\O/O\O/O\**

Dinner was great. Kyrano had prepared all his favorites, made even better with Cecily's enhanced produce. John was really starting to get used to the more flavorful menu, and he was sure that he was not the only one. At the very least, this visit had earned her lifelong clients for her hybrid plants.

"These are exquisite," Penelope commented, taking a bite of the steamed vegetables.

"They're Cecily's creations," Scott informed her.

"Really?" Penelope smiled. "Extraordinary tea and extraordinary vegetables. You must have quite the garden."

"Yes," Cecily blushed. "I, um … what's that?"

John glanced up and sighed inwardly when he caught sight of the blinking red light on the wall. So much for a quiet night. He excused himself with the others and headed into the lounge.

"Go ahead, Alan," Jeff called, activating the communications system.

"Sorry to interrupt your birthday, John," his younger brother said, appearing in place of his portrait. "But we've got big trouble in the heartland."

* * *

><p>You wanted more excitement, right? ;)<p>

If I can, I will try to get the next chapter up by early next week. (In the next 2-3 days), but with my birthday tomorrow I'm not sure how much time I will have to write.

In the meantime, feedback is always welcome. :)


	20. Chapter 20

Hello all, sorry again for the wait. I could tell you what all happened, but explaining cold fusion might be quicker.

Anyway, a huge thanks to my awesome beta JulesDPM, for being ... well ... awesome. ;)

Enjoy ...

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 20<strong>

Cecily sat at the table, watching the door the Tracy men had just disappeared through. She had a bad feeling the red light meant the boys were about to walk into danger, also known as a rescue. Memories of the fire on the oil tanker came flooding back and her heart rate soared. Gordon and Virgil had both been caught in the blast; it was a miracle they weren't hurt. But what would be the outcome this time? Would John go? If he did, would he come back? Would any of them come back?

"Don't worry," Tin Tin assured her, reaching over to give her hand a comforting squeeze. "They'll be fine."

"Of course they will," Grandma Tracy added. "They always are."

"Indeed," Penny agreed. "Though the timing is quite inconvenient, we will simply have to finish our celebration when the boys return."

"Yeah," Cecily nodded, forcing a smile. "Would you excuse me?"

Without waiting for an answer, she rose from her seat and slipped out towards the lounge. They were probably right; John and the others handled rescues all the time and always made it back. Still, Cecily would feel much better if she knew what they were facing. It was hard enough when she was worrying about strangers; now that she knew them she wasn't sure how she could handle it. She stopped outside the door of the lounge, not wanting to intrude, but still close enough to hear what Alan was saying.

"-small town in southern Missouri got hit hard, but the nearest rescue crews are tied up in the larger cities. The locals said the earthquake caused several buildings to collapse, trapping dozens underground, but with all the fires that broke out they aren't sure how quickly they can get to them."

Cecily caught her breath as her mind raced through what she just heard. All those people buried alive. Was there even a way to talk to them? Did they know help was coming? She thought back to the oil tanker. Those men had hope after they had found her, and she had hope because she knew how to get hold of John. What hope did these people have?

"Cecily?"

"What?" she looked up to see Brains standing beside her. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to spy."

"Oh, that's a-alright," the engineer assured her. "But y-you know you could p-probably just go in. Now, if you excuse me, I-I need to go prepare the p-p-pod."

With that, he hurried off toward the elevator leading to the lower levels. Cecily turned back to the door, wondering if she should go in as Brains suggested or just return to the dining room and finish her dinner. With all that was happening, she didn't have much of an appetite, not that she would be able to enjoy John's birthday dinner without him. Her thoughts stopped cold at that one. John would probably be going out to the rescue site with the rest of his brothers. Living in California had taught Cecily more than she would like to know about earthquakes, especially aftershocks. In fact, an earthquake had been the very thing that brought John into her life all those months ago, and she wouldn't know what to do if the same thing took him out of it.

"You know, Father," Gordon's voice interrupted her dark thoughts. "I think Virgil and I could handle the mole and firefly, John doesn't have to go."

For a moment, Cecily felt relief, but it quickly turned to guilt. The only reason to even suggest John stay home was because she was there. And how many people might be saved if he went? From what Alan said, it was a disaster zone and those people would need all the help they could get. But what if Jeff allowed it? The Tracy family patriarch started to open his mouth, just as she burst into the room.

"No."

"Cecily?" John questioned, stepping up to place his hands on her shoulders. "What's wrong?"

"You have to go," she replied, placing a hand on his chest. "They need you. You have to go."

Cecily didn't see his reaction, since she knew that focusing on her hand was the only thing keeping her emotions in check. Gordon started to protest, but he was quickly cut off.

"She's right," Jeff stated. "We don't know the extent of the damage and we can't afford to take any chances. You two better head out."

"Yes, Father," the brothers replied in unison.

John tilted Cecily's chin up, giving her no more than three seconds to school her features and force herself to smile. She could see the concern reflecting in his eyes and prayed hers were not as expressive. The last thing she wanted him to worry about was her.

"I'll be back soon."

"I know," Cecily whispered, pushing herself on her toes to give him a kiss on the cheek. "For luck."

He smiled down at her before following Gordon out of the room. A moment later an alarm sounded, along with a deep rumble. Jeff casually moved to the balcony and Cecily followed in time to see Thunderbird One shoot out from the spot where the pool used to be. Soon after, a second noise was heard, probably Thunderbird Two launching from another area on the island. They were gone.

"Cecily?" Jeff questioned, giving her a look of concern.

She tried to give him a reassuring smile, but the walls she had so carefully held up in front of John were starting to break. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes and the next thing she knew a gentle hand was guiding her to a chair as Jeff called to Kyrano to bring some tea.

"I'm sorry," Cecily murmured, wiping the moisture from her eyes. "Mom always told me I was too emotional."

"You should never be sorry for being worried, it just shows you care," Jeff stated, taking a seat at his desk. "I'd be more concerned if you didn't act this way."

They shared a small smile as Kyrano entered with a tray of refreshments. He set a cup of tea and plate of cookies next to Cecily, before placing a mug of coffee on the desk.

"Will there be anything else, Mr. Tracy?"

"No, thank you, Kyrano," Jeff answered without looking up from his paperwork.

"And for you, Miss Cecily?"

"No, thank you."

He bowed and left, but Cecily couldn't help but wonder if Jeff even noticed that he was gone. The head of international rescue was busy looking over some kind of reports and seemed to have gone into his own world. Not wanting to stare, Cecily turned her attention to the cookies. She picked one up and took a small bite, smiling when she recognized the flavor.

"He remembered."

"Pardon?"

Blushing when she realized she had actually spoken, Cecily once again dropped her gaze to the floor. When would she learn how to act around a Tracy?

"I'm sorry … I was just … the cookies," she stammered as she tried to regain her composure. "They're my favorites; that's all."

"Yes," he smiled. "John mentioned that when he tried to make them."

"John made these?" Cecily asked, taking another bite.

"He tried," Jeff repeated, the smile turning to a smirk. "But, for the safety of all on the island, my mother threw that batch out. She and Tin Tin made those ones."

Despite the situation, Cecily had to laugh. John had told her once that, though he could cook, he was useless when it came to baking. It appeared that he hadn't been exaggerating.

"It's a bit odd though," Jeff commented.

"What?"

"The cookies," he answered, gesturing toward the plate. "Why have chocolate chip cookies without the chips?"

"I never had much money for groceries and chocolate was expensive," she explained simply. "I just worked with what I had."

"Clever."

Cecily shrugged, picking off a chunk of her cookie and putting it in her mouth. She had never really thought of herself as clever. Then again, before meeting John, she hadn't really thought much of herself at all. Still, leaving the chocolate out of cookies was nothing compared to the kinds of things the Tracy family did; what they were doing. It was hard to imagine that her sweet, quiet, John was at this very moment rushing into a disaster area; that the man who taught her about the stars was willing to, almost literally, walk through fire to help people who had no other hope. The thought was terrifying, but to this family it was business as usual. If fact, Jeff appeared completely at ease as he looked over his papers.

"How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Stay so calm when your sons are …" her voice trailed off as she quickly focused on her tea. "I'm sorry, I guess I'm still a bit on edge."

"That's alright, I'm sure everyone on the island is a bit on edge."

Cecily heard more than saw him set down his pen and move around to lean against the front of his desk. She looked up and was met with a smile that looked remarkably like John's. It gave her comfort, but also reminded her of where her friend was currently. A shudder passed through her, but was forgotten when a hand touched her shoulder.

"There is nothing wrong with being afraid," Jeff spoke softly. "The trick is to control your fear before it controls you."

"If only it was that easy."

"Well, we have some time before the boys land, how about I teach you a couple of the tricks I've learned?"

"I'd like that," Cecily replied, matching the older man's smile.

"Great," Jeff stated. "Now the first thing you want to do is learn how to breathe properly. The right techniques can keep you calm in the tensest situations."

"Just by breathing?"

"Oh, yes. It's a tried and true method that works everywhere from the boardroom, to a natural disaster, or trying to discover which of your children ate your apple pie."

Cecily giggled as Jeff started her lesson. The tricks did help and the next thing she knew they were getting a report from Alan that Scott had arrived at the danger zone. This kicked off lesson two, positive thought. Maybe she would get through this night after all.

* * *

><p>Well, what do you think?<p>

Let me know your thoughts while I wrap up the next chapter.

Oh, and just something to think about, Gordon saw that little "good luck" kiss. You think he will be nice and keep it to himself? ;)


	21. Chapter 21

Hey all, here's the next part.

Thanks again to JulesDPM for her wonderful beta work.

And a special shout out to JoTracy123 and Grnfield who very accurately predicted how subtle Gordon would be about John's lucky kiss. (Poor John indeed.)

Enjoy ...

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 21<br>**

John looked out the window, attempting to ignore the annoyance strapped to the seat next to him. Gordon hadn't shut up about Cecily's kiss since they left the lounge. And they wondered why he didn't tell them about her upfront.

"All I'm saying," the aquanaut continued, "is that it would be nice if the rest of us could get some luck every once in a while."

"Well, you kinda can't blame her giving it to John," Virgil commented from the helm. "I mean, the guy almost never goes out on rescues, he's gonna need all the help he can get."

John didn't pay attention to Gordon's response, since he was too busy figuring out how Brains could install ejector seats in Thunderbird Two. And, based on the fact that this conversation had been going on for almost an hour, it couldn't happen soon enough.

"Mobile Command to Thunderbird Two."

Thank you Scott! His older brother's report from the danger zone diverted the conversation to what they would expect when they arrived. Of course, reports never did justice in situations like this one. The town had become a sea of crumbled buildings under a bed of smoke and lit by a dozen fires. Local rescue crews rushed around, fighting in vain to push back the flames long enough to save those trapped inside while victims and distraught family members waited for news about loved ones still lost to the debris. Pushing back his horror, John solemnly accompanied a now silent Gordon to mobile command.

"Glad you guys are here," Scott said in greeting. "Is Virgil ready in the firefly?"

"Should be by now," Gordon replied.

"Good, why don't you go prep the mole. John, get on some gear, I want you to help the fire crews."

"Sure thing, Scott."

John jogged back to the pod and pulled on one of their white protective suits. He grabbed the fire suppression gear that Brains just perfected and headed back outside to find the fire chief. Something told him that this was going to be a long night.

**/O\O/O\O/O\**

John huddled near the window, pulling the fireproof blanket more securely around the small child in his arms. The boy's mother sat nearby, her eyes wide with terror as she held a shirt in front of her face to keep out the smoke. The same look was mirrored in the dozen or so faces around him, the tenants trapped high out of the reach of the rescue crews. Honestly, it was a miracle John had made it this far, the collapsed staircase giving testament to that. Now there was only one way out; four stories straight down.

"How much longer?" one man coughed.

"Not long," John answered, giving the group a reassuring smile.

He glanced out the window, hoping to see the much needed rescue vehicle down below. Sure enough, Scott was just moving it into position. 'Not a moment too soon', John thought to himself as he could hear the building groan under the stress of the fires. He had to get these people out fast.

"You all set down there, Scott?" John questioned through his headset radio.

"Ready when you are," his eldest brother's voice replied.

"Okay, I'm sending the first one down now."

John turned back to the group, some of whom looked more afraid of the idea of jumping out the window than staying in the crumbling, fire ravaged, building. This must be what the guys loading the lifeboats on the Titanic felt like.

"It's perfectly safe," he assured them.

"Then you do it," one of the men shot back.

John wondered if he should tell him that he had done it, several times in fact, during testing; all his brothers had. But looking at the guy, who couldn't have been much older than Alan or Gordon, he knew it wouldn't make a difference. Fortunately, the oldest man in the group pushed his way to the front and stuck his leg out the window.

"Dad, no!" a woman shrieked.

She stepped forward to stop him, but her husband pulled her back. The old man waved his hand dismissively and moved out onto the ledge outside the window. Once he got his balance, he looked over his shoulder and gave his daughter a smile.

"If twenty-eight years in this man's army didn't kill me, I sure as heck ain't gonna let this darn building do it!"

With a final salute, he let go. John leaned forward and saw Scott helping the man off the hover platform and safely to the ground. He gave the, now hysterical, woman a smile.

"He's alright, our people caught him. Who's next?"

One by one, he filed the people out the window, all the while praying the building held up. But as time went on the groaning increased, and soon John could feel the whole structure shifting beneath his feet. Worst part was, the mother and child were still up there with him.

"Scott, you need to clear that platform now," he barked as another section of ceiling caved in nearby.

"All clear, John. Send them down."

"Okay, your turn," he said to the frightened woman beside him.

"No," she shook her head. "I-I can't."

"It's safe, I promise," John said as gently as he could while still being firm. "I have someone waiting at the bottom to help you down. You'll be just fine."

"No, you don't understand. I … I 'm afraid of heights. You go, save my baby."

John wondered briefly if he should just shove her out the window, but with the kid in his arms he wasn't likely to succeed. Another piece of ceiling collapsed, this one hitting John in the back and he grunted in pain.

"John!" Scott's voice yelled in his ear. "Get out of there! The whole place is coming down!"

Biting back a sharp retort that he was well aware of the state of the building, he took a calming breath and quickly assessed the situation. The boy was crying in his arms, the mother was crying nearby, and the floor was starting to go. With no more time to think, John shifted the boy into one arm, grabbed the mother with the other, and jumped. Seconds later, he rested upon a bed of air as he handed the boy and his mother down to the waiting rescue crews. Behind him, smoke bellowed out as the building collapsed in on itself.

"Nice leap, but you might want to work on the landing," Gordon grinned, as he and Scott reached out to help him down. "I'd give it a solid seven though."

"Not all of us can get the gold," John shot back, letting out a relieved sigh once he was back on solid ground.

"You alright?" Scott questioned, worry shining in his eyes.

"I'm fine," he assured him, holding out his arms to show the intact suit.

"You're lucky," his eldest brother replied.

Pulling off the protective hood on his suit and looking back at the rubble that had nearly been his tomb, John fully agreed with the sentiment. However, seeing the widening grin and mischievous gleam in his younger brother's eye, he wished Scott had phrased that better. But he wouldn't bring that up at a danger zone … would he?

"Scott," Gordon started, clapping him on the shoulder. "You don't know the half of it."

He would. Better find a distraction.

"Chief Meyer!" John called out.

He waved at the fire chief as he made his way over to the three Tracys. Gordon shut his mouth and took half a step back, allowing Scott to move forward to greet him. Not that John expected any different; they all knew better than to talk about personal issues around the locals.

"Well, it looks like you got the last of them," Meyer stated, holding out his hand to each of the Tracys. "We can't thank you enough for all you did here."

"No thanks necessary," Scott replied. "We were glad to help."

As Meyer went back to start coordinating the clean up crews, Virgil walked up from the direction of Two, still wearing the white suit minus the hood.

"We're all packed up," he reported, before turning to John. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm-"

"Lucky?"

Glaring at the snickering red-head for the interruption, John didn't miss the smile that had spread across Virgil's face. Maybe he should ask Scott if he could ride with him back to the island. On that note, his oldest brother looked thoroughly confused.

"What are you guys talking about?"

"It's … uh," Virgil started, coughing to suppress the obvious laughter in his voice. "It's really not something we should talk about here."

"No," John stated, glaring at his younger brothers. "It's not."

"Yeah," Gordon sighed. "Let's go over here instead."

Latching onto Scott's arm, he pulled Scott well out of earshot of the local rescue crews, successfully destroying any hope John had of a quiet ride home. With a frustrated growl, he informed Virgil that he would be waiting in Two and headed toward the open pod. This was going to be a long flight back.

**/O\O/O\O/O\**

Unbuckled before they came to a complete stop, John was the first one out the hatch and didn't wait for the others at the elevator. Nine hours of pulling people out of burning buildings, not to mention a four hour round trip with the clown brothers, kinda took a lot out of a guy. He stopped by the lounge to check in with his dad before heading to take a shower and was surprised to see Cecily fast asleep on the couch, still wearing her dress from the night before.

"John," Jeff called out in a hushed tone.

"Has she been there all night?" he whispered back.

Instead of answering, his father motioned for him to follow him and the pair went back into the hallway. Once there, Jeff swept a critical gaze over John, making it clear that Scott had given his report of what happened at the danger zone. Though appreciating the concern, the astronaut had other things on his mind than his leap for life.

"I'm alright, Father. What time did Cecily fall asleep?"

"Shortly after you left the danger zone."

"When we-," John gaped. "But that was less than two hours ago."

"Well, she was waiting for you," Jeff shrugged. "She asked me to wake her when you landed, but I thought you might like to take care of that."

John nodded and headed back into the lounge, while his father headed toward the elevator to meet up with his brothers. Cecily was on her side, curled into a ball of tulle and sequins. Her tiara and jewelry were sitting on the table above her head and her high heels were laying under it. Her hair had been let down and her make-up smeared, but she was still as beautiful as ever. Kneeling down, he brushed his hand over her cheek.

"Wake up, honey," he whispered gently.

She stirred, leaning into his touch, before he was rewarded with those big silver eyes and a sleepy smile.

"Hey," Cecily sighed. "I heard you had a close call."

"Nothing I couldn't handle," John stated, taking her hand in his. "Besides, I had a little luck on my side."

"I'm glad."

"So am I; but I am also exhausted and I have a feeling you are too."

"Just a little," she admitted. "Nothing I can't handle."

Chuckling under his breath, John helped her to her feet. Cecily paused at the table to grab her jewelry while he retrieved her shoes. Once all her belongings had been gathered, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her toward the hallway.

"Off to get some rest, I hope," Jeff commented, heading back to his desk.

"You should too," Cecily pointed out.

"Oh, I will, just as soon as I get a few things squared away."

"Don't worry," Grandma soothed, coming into the room. "I'll make sure he gets sleep along with the rest of you."

"Thanks Grandma," John smiled, stepping around the older woman before looking down at Cecily. "So, you weren't too worried were you?"

She glanced over her shoulder, sharing a small smile with Jeff before they turned the corner. He shot her a questioning look, wondering what exactly had happened while they had been gone. But the only answer he got was a warm smile and three simple words.

"Not at all."

* * *

><p>So, what do you think?<p>

I've already started the next part, but I also have papers due for all three (yes ALL 3) of my classes ... tomorrow. :P

Anyway, feedback is always appreciated and I'll post the next chapter just as soon as I can.


	22. Chapter 22

First off, **I'M BACK! YAY!**

I recently identified a dark cloud in my life, one which was keeping me down and unable to really write, and cut it loose. And now that I am single again, I can get back to my first love; writing.

SIDE NOTE: Before anyone says they are sorry for the loss of my fiancé, I just want to let you know that I am not. I discovered that he is a chronic liar who appears to have murdered his inner child and I am pathologically honest and still watch the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. (Among other "kid" shows.) I don't think it would have worked out in the long run anyway.

Okay, back to the story.

Someone commented that the last chapter was a bit short, so I decided to make this one longer ... about two times longer to be exact. (See? I do listen to reviews.) I hope no one minds. ;)

Huge thanks to my awesome and wonderful beta, JulesDPM, without whom this chapter might not have ever been finished.

Finally, enjoy ...

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 22<strong>

Cecily held tight to John's hand as they made their way down to the beach for the last time. Scott was bringing her home today, her vacation was just about up. But a week in paradise left her with nothing but a yearning for just one more day in her own private heaven; one more day with John.

"You really have to go?" John asked, mirroring her own thoughts.

"Sadly, yes," she sighed. "My automated systems are only programed to run for a week."

"In the future, we'll have to make your visits longer," he tapped his chin thoughtfully. "How does a month sound?"

Cecily laughed and shook her head, knowing he was only teasing. As glorious as a month on this wonderful island would be, they both knew her work was too demanding for that. Still, it was nice to dream and that was what she did. Stroking the back of his hand with her thumb, she imagined what life would be like if they could have this all the time; no radios, no work, just the two of them without a care in the world. For one fleeting moment it was true, but then that moment passed as she realized she didn't recognize this part of the beach. They must be on the other side of the island.

"John?"

"Something wrong?" he frowned.

"Can we go this far out?"

He stopped walking and stared at her with an expression of pure confusion, cocking his head as if trying to figure out if she was serious. Of course, he may be wondering if she had suddenly lost her mind, since she was implying that they had boundaries on an island they owned.

"What I mean is," she explained hastily, "what if they need you?"

"Oh that," he nodded in understanding.

Without another word, John led Cecily closer to the water and the two took a seat in the shade of a tree. He didn't seem overly concerned about the possibility of a rescue call, quite the contrary. He leaned back and gave her a relaxed smile, entwining her fingers with his.

"You don't need to worry," John assured her. "Honestly, it's not often that I'm needed when there is a rescue call, mostly it's just Scott and Virgil. If I am needed, then they will call me on this."

He held up his arm, displaying his watch, and pointed to the time piece. Though Cecily had never seen a wristwatch, or any form of clock for that matter, do anything but tell time, she didn't doubt that Brains had figured out a way to change that.

"This has a GPS locater and a fully functioning communications system," John explained, a touch of pride in his voice. "With it I can call our home base, all the Thunderbirds, and anyone else on our network."

"That's incredible," she breathed, touching her fingers to the clock face. "How does it work?"

"Voice activation. I'll show you," he stated, leaning the watch closer to his face. "Calling Lady Penelope. Come in Lady Penelope."

Almost instantly, the woman's face replaced the clock and Cecily nearly gasped in surprise. John shot her a grin, but quickly returned his focus to their agent when she started to speak.

"This is Lady Penelope. Is there something I can do for you, John?"

"Well actually, you just did. I was showing Cecily how the wrist-coms work. Sorry if I interrupted anything."

"It's quite alright, I'm glad I could help. So, did you enjoy your visit to Tracy Island?"

Still trying to get over the fact that Lady Penelope was talking out of John's watch, it took Cecily a moment to realize that the agent was addressing her. Luckily, John was far more observant and gave her a second to compose herself before tilting the screen in her direction. She gave him a quick smile of thanks before answering.

"Yes, it was great. They have already invited me back for Christmas and New Year."

"I'm surprised they didn't ask for you to join them for Thanksgiving."

"Oh, they did. Sadly, I'm already scheduled to be in San Francisco that week. It's really the best time to sell hybrid produce. You wouldn't believe how quickly I run out of mixed squash and sweet cranberries."

"I think we can believe it," John chuckled.

"Well, if you are going to be selling your creations, I simply must get some of that marvelous tea. Perhaps we can meet up while you are there and make a day of it."

"I'd like that."

"Good, but I'm afraid we will have to make plans at another time. I have an early appointment tomorrow I must prepare for."

"Okay then," John said, moving his wrist back in front of him. "Bye Penny."

"Goodbye."

The screen became a watch once more, but neither John nor Cecily made a move to continue their walk. All that was waiting for them at the house was Scott and the incredible plane that would bring her back to her regular life. And since there was no real rush …

**/O\O/O\O/O\**

Cecily woke to find herself laying against John's chest as he slowly raised his arm until it was resting on her head.

"Go ahead Scott."

"So, I was getting ready to go, but then realized I am missing my passenger. You don't happen to know where she is do you?"

"Would you believe me if I said no?" John asked, his smile almost audible.

Cecily didn't know whether to laugh or roll her eyes. Gordon may be the reigning trickster of the family, but that didn't mean his brother wouldn't challenge the title every once and a while. But not wanting to get her friend in trouble on her account, Cecily reached up and pulled his arm down until she was looking into the screen.

"We'll be there soon," she promised.

"Alright. See you when you get here."

She set his arm back up on her head and sighed. At least it was good while it lasted. However, when she tried to sit up, she soon found she wasn't the only one reluctant to leave the quiet beach.

"Come on," she groaned, trying to lift the seemingly lead filled arm from around her waist. "You heard Scott, we have to go back."

"He's patient," John replied dismissively, stubbornly refusing to move. "He can wait a few more minutes."

Though that very well could be true, and she would love to have a few more … well … hours with her friend, Cecily knew that they needed to face reality. They needed to go. But how to convince him of that … ?

"John," she started, turning to look into his eyes. "The longer we stay out here, the more your brothers can use it against you."

"You're right," he frowned, grimacing when he looked back at his watch. "Of course, that's a pretty good argument to **never **go home."

Despite the fact he was probably right, the pair headed the short distance back to the main house. They slowed as they came into the more familiar area and Cecily almost wished they had just camped out on the other side of the island. Of course, with a GPS in John's watch, they couldn't have hid long, but any extra time together would have been worth it. Sadly, even at a slower pace it did not last and the two had no choice but to go inside.

"Hey Gordon," Virgil called from behind the piano, as they entered the lounge. "When you did those laps around the island in Four, did it seem bigger?"

"No, can't say that it did," Gordon replied innocently as he flipped through a magazine. "But that was three days ago, maybe there has been some volcanic activity we are unaware of."

"There must have been, because I could have sworn that a walk around the island didn't take more than an hour."

"Hey, show a little respect" Scott cut in. "At least wait until after I take Cecily home."

"Oh, thanks," John muttered sarcastically.

The eldest brother gave him a wide grin as he put on his hat, completing his uniform. The sight made Cecily's heart sink a little. It looked like it really was time to go. Putting on a brave face, she smiled through her goodbyes, hugging each of her new friends. But as she was turning to Scott, Brains came rushing in.

"W-wait," he panted, placing a black box in her hands. "I-I have something f-for you."

Curious, Cecily opened it to find a watch, a plain, black banded watch … just like the ones they wore. Could it be? She looked up at the scientist for confirmation, but he dropped his gaze to the ground.

"W-well, we can't have y-you relying on just t-that old r-radio, could we?"

It was! Murmuring her thanks, she eagerly wrapped it around her wrist. Now she not only had a direct line to John, but everyone on the island and Penny. Maybe leaving wouldn't be so lonely after all.

**/O\O/O\O/O\**

Cecily started across the ocean, listening to the hum of One's engines as they flew toward her rig at speeds she didn't even want to think about. The brothers had been right, it was much nicer in the cockpit. Not that she really wanted to ride in the cargo bay again. She suspected the only reason Scott let her do it in the first place was because she was so panicked about seeing their technology it almost kept her from going at all, but now there wasn't much point.

"You looking forward to going home?" Scott called from the helm.

"Yes and no," Cecily admitted, not taking her eyes off the water. "I'm eager to see how my plants are doing, but your island is … well, it's hard to leave."

"I know what you mean. Maybe your next lab can be on your own island."

"Maybe someday," she sighed.

It was a nice dream, but there was no reason to tell Scott that it could never be more than that. As it was, she would be lucky if the antibiotic made enough for her to relocate to a bunker somewhere, much less an island.

"You know, investors have been known to fund things like new equipment."

Startled at the statement, Cecily could only stare at him in shock as she wondered if she had spoken out loud. Then again, she hadn't really thought about that, so there really was no way he could have known … but he did know. How did-

"I did a structural scan of your rig the night that oil tanker exploded," Scott said in answer to her silent question. "I know why you haven't moved."

"Oh …" she replied quietly. "Um … does John know?"

"He knows that your rig is stable, but no, I didn't mention what was keeping it that way."

She nodded, wondering if a thank you was appropriate here. And it had seemed like such a good plan at the time. Bolt her heavy equipment to the walls and floor to stabilize an unstable structure. How was she to know that doing so would actually make the rig dependent on her machines to stay standing? Now she might be able to take a few pieces with her if and when she moved, but that would only happen if she could find a cheap place to work as well as replace all the machines she would have to leave behind.

"Did you know how unstable it was when you bought it?"

"I had an idea, but that's what made if affordable," Cecily admitted. "And I did put a plan in place in case it did start to fail."

"I hope it didn't depend on that radio," Scott remarked dryly.

"No, but that was part of it. I keep a small boat next to the rig and routinely back up my work on a pair of external hard drives. It takes only five minutes to get the drives and get onto the boat."

"But with that plan, you still lose almost everything."

"Not everything," Cecily assured him, looking back over the water. "All the things I truly care about are back on your island. Ah- I mean, um, in my grandfather's trunk! Not, uh-"

"I know what you mean," Scott chuckled. "So that's why you left it behind, huh?"

Cecily only nodded, not trusting herself to speak again. She was never going to learn how to talk around a Tracy! Luckily Scott didn't push the issue and the two made the rest of the trip in … mostly comfortable silence.

**/O\O/O\O/O\**

Cecily checked over her machines, writing the results down in her notebook as she got them. The preliminary tests on her new drug were progressing nicely, though how she would move on to the next stage of development was beyond her. Maybe she could call up Brains for some advice. Speaking of which, she thought to herself as she noticed the familiar flash on her watch.

"Hey Gordon," she smiled at the image of the red-head.

"Hello, it is now time for your holiday debate update."

She laughed as she set her notebook and pen on the counter, taking a seat on her battered stool. In the weeks since she had left the island, Alan and John had been trying to decide which of them would be planet side for Christmas and which would be there for New Year. For some reason it was taking forever for a decision to be reached, but Gordon had faithfully been keeping her apprised of the situation as things developed.

"So what are they saying now?"

"Alan was almost ready to give in and let John have Christmas, but now he is insistent that he get it and the big guy takes New Year."

"What happened?"

She almost regretted asking when she saw the mischievous gleam in Gordon's eye. She thought back to everything she knew about holiday traditions, but really didn't know enough about holidays in general to figure out what the two younger brothers might be setting them up for.

"Oh," he started casually. "Virgil just reminded them of the traditional kiss at midnight."

She should have seen it coming, she really should have. Still, even if she had, there wasn't much Cecily could do about the blush creeping into her cheeks. It was the mistletoe update all over again!

"Um, okay, thank you for letting me know. I, uh, should get back to work now."

"Alright, I'll let you go. But you know, if you have a preference between mistletoe and a midnight kiss-"

"Goodnight Gordon."

"Night!"

The clock-face returned to normal and she picked up her notebook. It had taken some getting used to, but it was nice having a sort of unofficial little brother, even if it meant that she was just as prone to be teased as the rest of them. As she shut down her machines for the night, she started wondering if she would be able to feel as comfortable with Alan. She hadn't had much chance to speak to him, aside from when she apologized for thinking he was out to destroy International Rescue. She would just have to wait for … whichever holiday he wound up on the island for.

"That's that," she muttered to herself, setting the only running machine to begin a ten hour test. "Now to check on the pretties."

Her garden looked so bare now, especially since she sold much more over Thanksgiving than she expected. Who knew her coffee and tea would be just as popular as her squash and berries? Maybe Gordon was onto something after all- oh! She was so caught up in her thoughts that she walked straight into a wall. Wait … there wasn't a wall on the staircase …

"Well well," a sinister voice sneered. "Looks like this place ain't empty after all."

Forcing herself to look up, Cecily's eyes grew wide with terror as she took in the men coming up her stairs. She could only make out three in the shadows, but there could very well be more. Though the two in back were hard to see, the one in front was clear as day. He was big, almost as tall as John but nearly twice as broad, dressed in a black tank-top and dark jeans. He smiled down at her, the predatory gleam in his eye visible behind a veil of long brown hair. It took all of half a second for her to recognize the intruders for what they were; pirates!

As the man reached out, Cecily did the only thing she could think of. Pen still in her hand, she stabbed him in the face and ran back up the stairs, his angry howls echoing after her. Racing through the lab, she tried to get to the other staircase, but two more men beat her too it. Turning around, she saw the three from before had made it to the top. She was trapped!

"Man, Shark, what happened to you?" one of the new guys asked.

The man from the stairs, presumably called Shark, growled in response as he glared down at Cecily. His black eyes were even more frightening now that one was hidden by a bloody hand. Backing away as Shark approached, she soon found herself pulled against the side of one of the new men.

"Now now," he said in a soothing tone, as he traced his finger down Cecily's cheek. "There's no need for anyone else to get hurt here."

"Please," she begged, trying to pull out of his grip. "I don't have anything of value. Please, just go. I-I won't even tell anyone you were here."

"Well, isn't that nice of you," he smiled, but the sight of it sent shivers down her spine. "but you see, you have quite a few things of value."

He swept his arm around the room and Cecily's horror grew. Her machines. They were going to take her machines! But if they did, the rig would- they would all-

"No! Please, no! You don't know what that would do! Please!"

But no matter how much she begged and fought, she was ignored as her captor motioned his men toward one of her largest pieces. The men began to pry away the first bolt, turning her cries into screams, but still they didn't listen. These men were going to kill them all! Unless …

Praying it would work, Cecily jabbed her pen into the hand clamped around her waist. The pirate cried out in pain, releasing his grip long enough for her to make a mad dash for the stairs. Knowing a pursuit was only seconds away, the geneticist ran straight down until she reached her garden and ducked into one of her storage closets. Here she gave herself only a moment to catch her breath before raising her watch to her lips.

"Calling Thunderbird Five. Please come in."

"Cecily? What's wrong?"

The relief she felt hearing John's voice was short lived. Right after he answered the sound of heavy footsteps rang out from behind the door, a second before the knob began to turn.

"Oh God."

* * *

><p>Anyone see that coming?<p>

I had the next chapter almost finished, but than my computer deleted about half of it. I should still be able to get it to my beta by the weekend, though. In the meantime, feedback is always welcome.


	23. Chapter 23

Wow, that was a better response than I expected. I should have had pirates invade a long time ago ...

Anyway, sorry for the wait on this one. When I did the rewrite after my computer crashed a few key parts got left out and confused my beta. Luckily, she is awesome and was willing to go over it a second time after my THIRD rewrite. (Stupid computer.) THANK YOU JULESDPM! :)

Also, I would like to dedicate this chapter to Sliver Bee for posting this story's 100th review. (Not to mention the rest of you who reviewed so that she could.) You're awesome! :)

Now then, on with the story ...

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 23<strong>

John gripped his screwdriver tightly between his teeth while he wrestled the panel back into place. He wasn't sure who he was going to have to talk to first, Brains to update the self cleaning capacity of the air filters or Alan to remind him to actually activate the self cleaning function of the air filters. In any case, they were clean now, so hopefully the air wouldn't taste as stale. Halfway through putting the screws back in, the light on the main control console lit up.

"Go for John," he grunted, taking advantage of the voice activation while tightening the second of four screws.

The screen lit up, or at least it tried to. He could make out Cecily's face among the shadows and wondered why she had called Five and not him directly as she usually did. But those thoughts went out the window when he caught sight of the look in her eyes. She was terrified.

"Cecily? What's wrong?"

"Oh God," she breathed, staring at something he couldn't see.

Instantly on alert, John jumped to his feet, letting his tools crash to the floor. Cecily was in trouble, that much he knew, but what was it? He pulled up satellite feeds of the area, while he tried once again to get her attention.

"Cecily? Talk to me honey, what's going on?"

"They're coming," she whispered frantically, tears coming to her eyes. "They're coming!"

"Who?" John questioned, trying to get his own emotions under control. "Who's coming?"

"Pirates!" Cecily half sobbed. "They're tearing apart my rig! They're gonna-"

She was cut off by muffled voices and the room spun briefly as she apparently scrambled back into an even darker corner of her hiding place. He couldn't make out what they were saying, but the tone came in loud and clear. Fear and rage twisted in his gut as John once again tried to get his emotions under control. He spared a brief glance for the satellite image, noting the boat that should not be there, before turning back to his friend. She was looking frantically around the room, her quickened breathing mingling with the soft groan of metal. What was going on down there?

"Everything is going to be alright," he somehow managed to say softly.

"No," she shook her head. "It's too late now. I-I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I just- I didn't want you to worry."

"Didn't tell me what?" John frowned.

"Doesn't matter now," Cecily sobbed, her voice frighteningly close to resignation. "I don't have much time. I just … I guess I want to say-"

"No," John said firmly, shaking his head. "Don't you say goodbye. You're gonna get through this. I swear it."

The groaning became louder and Cecily closed her eyes. It almost sounded like when Gordon had talked him into diving with him to Four's maximum depth; like the rig was under pressure … or coming apart!

"Cecily-"

"They're coming back!" she whispered, the fear returning to her voice. "I love you, John."

And with that the screen went black.

"Cecily!" John shouted, trying in vain to establish the connection. "NO!"

This couldn't be happening. It couldn't! He didn't wait all these months to hear her say those words only to lose her seconds later. It wasn't going to happen. Slamming the button that called the main base, John kept his eyes locked on the satellite image of the rig and prayed they wouldn't be too late. He didn't look away until his father's voice greeted him.

"Go ahead John."

"Cecily is under attack."

"What?" several voices chorused at once, before breaking off into a roar of questions.

"Quiet," Jeff ordered, silencing the room. "Now, what happened?"

John quickly explained what he knew about the situation. His father quietly listened to the details, but by the sound of it all four of his brothers were raring to go before he was even done.

"Then she heard them coming and cut communication," John finished angrily, leaving out her last declaration. "I've tried to reach her again, but she isn't answering."

"She most likely is just trying to stay quiet so she won't get caught," Jeff offered. "I'm sure she is alright."

As much as he prayed that was true, John couldn't help but feel a cold stab of fear in his gut. Anything could happen to her with those lowlifes on her rig, but there was also that sound. The sound of a rig straining to stay upright.

"Father, it's more than just the pirates."

"What do you mean?"

"It's the rig," John said, running his hand through his hair. "It sounded like it was coming apart at the seams."

"Her machines."

"Scott?" Jeff questioned.

"She used her machines to stabilize her rig."

"She did **what**?" Virgil exclaimed. "That would weaken the overall structure. If those pirates take too many of her machines the whole thing could collapse in on itself!"

"You knew about this?" John seethed. "You **knew** she was in danger? Why didn't you say something?"

"There will be time to point fingers later," Jeff cut in. "Right now let's just get her off that rig. Scott, go."

"Yes Father."

Knowing farther arguments would only prolong the arrival of help, John kept his mouth shut as Thunderbird One launched. But as soon as his girl was safe, he and his older brother were going to have a talk.

"You boys better head out," Jeff continued, cutting into his thoughts. "Take pod four."

"Four?" John started, thinking of only one reason why the submarine would be needed.

"It's just a precaution," his father assured him. "Besides, we don't know what sort of vessel the pirates brought. It might be a submersible."

It made sense, but did little to ease the astronaut's nerves. Of course, at this point the only thing that would truly ease his nerves would be to have Cecily in his arms, safe and sound. A moment later Two launched and began making its way to the rig, One already well on its way there. He could only pray that they would make it in time.

"Scott, we are en route. Eta to danger zone thirty-one minutes."

"FAB, Virgil. I'll hold them off until you get here. Eta to danger zone thirteen minutes."

Thirteen minutes until help would even arrive, thirty-one before she might be saved. Could Cecily last that long?

"Just bring her back."

"We will, John," Virgil promised.

"And then we'll make those creeps pay," Alan added.

His words nearly brought a smile to John's face, and not just because he longed to tear those so-called men apart for daring to threaten his girl. No, it was the fact his brothers were as determined to get her back as he was. Even Alan, who had barely spoken to Cecily and never in person, was ready to wipe the floor with them. She was practically family now, and no one got away with messing with his family. Ever.

Remember boys," Jeff's voice cut in. "Though our primary focus is to get Cecily to safety, we will not do it at the cost of the pirates. We are International Rescue and we are not going to abandon those men on a doomed structure, no matter what they did."

"But Father-"

"I mean it, Alan. Once Cecily is secure you are to make sure that those pirates get off the rig by any means necessary."

"Yes Father," Gordon replied, almost cheerfully. "And John, I'll be sure to punch one in the face for you … if necessary."

"Do you think it would be necessary to shoot one in the leg?"

"Alan …" Jeff warned.

"I'm just saying-"

"I don't care what you have to do," John interrupted. "Just bring her home."

"Where there is a will there is a way," Scott stated. "We'll get her back. I promise."

John nodded as the two Thunderbirds cut communication. Current satellite feed showed the rig was still standing, but that was all he could see. He couldn't see if Cecily was still safely hidden, hurt, or even still- No, he wouldn't let himself think like that. His brothers would get there in time … while he was stuck up here. But what could he do?

"You've done all you can, John," his father said gently, as if reading his mind.

"Then I am just to sit here and wait?" he growled.

There had to be something, anything he could do. He had to be there for her, but how? Wait, there was one way …

"Father, I need to talk to Brains."

* * *

><p>Anyone care to guess what John is planning? And will the Thunderbirds reach Cecily in time?<p>

Let me know what you think and in the mean time I'll wrap up the next chapter. (It's more than halfway done and I've been taking precautions to keep it from getting deleted.)

**SIDE NOTE:** I have developed tendinitis in my right arm and it has limited the amount I can type in one sitting. I will try to get the next part up as soon as I can, but it may take a few days. Just wanted to give you a heads up.


	24. Chapter 24

I'm gonna keep this short because my typing ability is limited and I'm sure you would rather just get on with the story anyway.

This chapter is dedicated to Dr Moustachio Girl, for writing a review that made me laugh, and my wonderful beta JulesDPM, for ... being my wonderful beta. :)

Enjoy ...

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 24<strong>

Cecily pressed herself as deep into the corner as she could. The rig creaked around her, a foreboding reminder of what was to come. At least in the closet she would be safe from them, even if she was still about to die. It was a strange feeling, knowing you were going to die. At least she got to tell John the truth about how she felt. He was the greatest thing that ever happened to her and she just prayed that he would be alright when all this was over.

"She's got to be around here somewhere," Shark's voice echoed from the main garden.

"Check the doors, break them down if you have to. And when you do find her, bring her to me. Someone needs to teach that girl some manners."

"Yes sir."

It sounded like the leader of the group was the same one she stabbed in the hand. All the more reason to lie low … assuming she still could. The pounding on the closet door turned to grinding as the pirates pried away the metal locks. Catching her breath, Cecily stayed as still as possible, praying that the dim light would shield her from the invaders sight.

"Girl-ly," Shark called out in a chillingly sing-song voice. "Ya can't hide for-ev-ver."

A groan from the bulkheads reminded Cecily that she didn't have to hide forever, just until the rig gave way. But as the pirate came closer, his bloody hand dangling before her face, she found herself hoping it would collapse sooner rather than later. Holding her breath until he moved to the other corner, Cecily tried to stay as silent as possible. As Shark reached the door, she allowed herself to breathe again … until a blinding light betrayed her hiding place.

"There ya are!"

Taking a gamble that she still might escape, Cecily bolted past Shark. Just when it looked as if she might get away, a thick arm wrapped around her waist. She screamed and fought, but it was no use against a man easily twice her size.

"Gimme that," he growled, wrenching the pen out of her hand. "Ya ain't gonna need it where yer goin'."

"Please," Cecily cried, unable to hold back her tears. "Please let me go."

"Not a chance girly," Shark sneered, dragging her back up the stairs to the lab. "Hey Boss! Look what I found."

The boss turned from where the other three men were pulling a second machine away from the wall. Seemingly unaware of how the rig creaked and groaned with each loosened bolt, the man casually strode over to the captive geneticist. He ran his fingers over a bloodstained bandanna, wrapped around his left hand, before reaching out to take the pen from his underling.

"Clever weapon," he commented, studying the slender object. "You know, I would have been happy to leave you whole, I'm sure I would have found some use for you, but then you had to go and fight back. And you know the old saying, an eye for an eye … or would it be a hand for a hand?"

He nodded toward Shark who grabbed Cecily by the wrist and slammed her hand against the counter. She twisted and pulled against the grip, but it was no use. The boss took a step closer, holding the pen like a dagger.

"Please don't do this," Cecily half sobbed. "Just go. The rig-"

"Is about to fall apart, yada yada," the boss finished in a bored tone. "Nice lie missy, but you'll have to do better than that."

He raised the pen to strike and Cecily closed her eyes, bracing herself for the pain. Suddenly a loud rumble was heard overhead and the whole room shook. For a second Cecily thought the rig was finally caving in, but that rumble was oddly familiar. In fact, it sounded like-

"Attention on the rig," Scott voiced echoed from outside. "This is International Rescue. The coast guard is en route to this location. Surrender now and you will not be harmed."

Taking advantage of the distraction, Cecily slammed her thick notebook into Shark's damaged face and made a break for the lower levels. Reaching the second floor, she ducked under the stairs just in time to see Shark rush passed, cursing under his breath. She waiting until his footsteps faded into her garden before raising her watch.

"Call-ing Thunder-bird One," she panted.

"Cecily, are you alright?"

"Uh, yeah, I- what are you doing here?"

"You called John to say goodbye," he replied grimly. "Did you think we wouldn't come?"

"I didn't think you'd make it," she admitted. "The rig-"

"I know … we all know."

Tears filled her eyes as she thought about what this must be doing to the Tracys. They had become more of a family to her than her own flesh and blood, but she was bringing them nothing but heartache.

"Cecily, listen to me. It's going to be okay. The boys will be there soon-"

"You can't land," she sobbed.

"Don't worry about that. Now, where are you?"

"Second level, under the stairs."

"Okay. Where are the pirates?"

"In my lab, but one is downstairs. He's looking for me."

"He's not gonna get you. Now, I need you to do exactly as I say …"

**/O\O/O\O/O\**

Cecily crouched behind her crates on the lowest level, taking comfort in the sound of Thunderbird One circling overhead. The noise of the massive engine rose and fell as Scott moved around the sky, but deep in the heart of her rig she couldn't hear what else was going on out there. Had the coast guard arrived? Or Thunderbird Two? She was tempted to call Scott back and ask him, but they had agreed to radio silence, in case the pirates came looking again.

Footsteps on the stairs pulled her from her thoughts and Cecily caught her breath. Panic swelled in her chest as the two shadows came near her hiding place. She closed her eyes and quietly backed against the wall, praying they didn't see her. A hand touched her arm and she swung out with her notebook, blindly striking one, but her makeshift weapon was quickly taken away and a pair of strong hands gripped her shoulders.

"Cecily!" a voice whispered. "Cecily, it's us!"

"Gordon?"

She opened her eyes and saw the familiar blue uniform trimmed in orange. It was him. They had found her.

"Are you alright?"

"Y-yes," she stammered.

Cecily placed a hand on her chest, as if it would calm her rapid heartbeat any more than the presence of John's brothers- Wait … weren't there two of them? Looking past Gordon, the hand on her chest went straight to her mouth when she saw Alan bent over holding the side of his head with one hand and her notebook in the other.

"I am **so** sorry."

"Eh, he'll be fine," Gordon assured her, glancing at his brother. "He's got a pretty hard head."

"Good thing too," Alan grumbled. "What is this thing made of, lead?"

"Don't be a baby," Gordon muttered, taking her by the hand. "Come on, Virgil is standing by to bring us up to Two."

As Alan led the way to the stairs, Cecily stopped when a flash of green caught her eye. Her plants! Pulling away from Gordon, and ignoring his and Alan's protests, she raced through her garden to the area where her more scientific plants were kept. It would be useless to try and save them all, but maybe just a sample-

"What are you doing?" Alan demanded.

"Please, I am almost to the testing phase," she said quickly, carefully uprooting one of the plants. "I can't start over now."

Suddenly another thought struck her.

"My hard drives! They have all my work on them."

"Where are they?" Gordon questioned, wrapping a sack around the roots to hold in the soil.

"In my lab."

"With the pirates," Alan added bitterly.

"We'll get them," Gordon promised. "But first we have to get you out of here."

Pulled along, Cecily followed the boys to the second floor and out to the main deck. Alan radioed Virgil and soon Thunderbird Two was hovering right above them, a harness dangling from a hatch. In what felt like seconds, she was strapped to the strong cables.

"Please be careful," she begged.

"We will," Gordon smiled, before signaling his older brother. "Alright Virgil, bring her up."

Cecily felt a jerk and her feet left the deck. The wind was strong and pushed her this way and that as she rose higher into the air. She closed her eyes and held onto her plant and notebook for dear life. Soon the wind died and a firm grip pulled her back onto a solid surface.

"You alright?" Virgil questioned, undoing the straps on the harness.

"Yeah," she answered quietly. "Thank you."

"No problem," he smiled.

He closed the hatch and led the way back to the cockpit. It was much bigger than the one in Thunderbird One, not surprising considering the size difference. There were several seats behind the pilot's, one of which was offered to Cecily. Once she was settled, Virgil sat back at the helm and flipped a switch.

"Rig to Thunderbird Two."

"Go ahead Alan."

"Just dumped another pirate."

"FAB. I'm picking up three signa-"

He was cut off when the sound of a scuffle came over the radio, ending in an almost mechanical hiss and a fading scream.

"Make that four signals," Virgil finished calmly.

"Did they just throw them off the rig?" Cecily exclaimed.

"They're fine. Brains developed a life jacket that inflates instantly and protects the spine."

"Oh … what about the limbs?"

"He's still working on that part. Thunderbird Two to Thunderbird One."

"Scott here. Did you get Cecily?"

"Yeah, she's fine. I was just wondering what you wanted me to do with our friends in the water."

"The coast guard will be here soon, they can pick them up. Just make sure none of them drift too close to the rig. We don't want it coming down on top of them."

"Right Scott."

Cecily stood on shaky legs and moved to stand behind Virgil. Her rig, her home for nearly two years, was visibly starting to buckle. The crane that once stood proud and tall was now tilted as the deck shifted beneath it. Sparks flew as cables snapped under the strain, lighting up the darkened structure. It was a terrible sight to beheld, made even worse by the knowledge that John's younger brothers were still aboard, still facing a deadly pirate.

"Thunderbird Two to rig. What's your status?"

"We've made it to the lab," Gordon answered, amid a smattering of gunfire. "But one of the pirates is still inside and doesn't seem very eager to leave."

"Well hurry up," Virgil ordered. "That whole thing is about to come down."

"FAB."

Cecily hugged her plant to her chest, eyes glued to her twisted home and praying the boys would make it off in time. Suddenly there was a loud groan and the rig began to tilt sharply. The massive crane broke loose and fell … straight towards them!

"Virgil!" Cecily screamed.

"I see it," he muttered, skillfully maneuvering out of the way of the falling debris.

Swinging back around, they saw the rig was almost on its side and was beginning to slide beneath the waves. Oh God! The boys!

"Gordon! Alan!" Scott's voice shouted over the radio. "Get out of there!"

There was no response and Virgil frantically scanned the area for any sign of his brothers. Tears filled Cecily's eyes as the last of her rig was pulled into the churning water, possibly taking her friends with it. Please God, let them be okay.

"Gordon, Alan, come in," Scott called, his voice tense. "Come on, answer!"

"I'm okay Scott," Alan replied. "We jumped just before the thing went under."

"Glad to hear it," Scott sighed, his relief evident. "What about the pirate?"

"He's with me," the younger brother answered glumly. "We took him down with minutes to spare, but only had two life-jackets between the three of us. Gordon jumped without."

"Can you see him?" Virgil asked, his knuckles white against the helm.

"No."

Cecily closed her eyes as she numbly sank toward the floor. Gordon was gone?

"Don't be so grim, bro. You make it sound like I died or something."

She nearly wept with joy when she heard the aquanaut's voice. He was alive! They made it!

"Gordon," Scott almost snapped. "Are you okay?"

"You kidding? I've jumped from **way** worse than **that**."

"Where are you?" Alan demanded.

"Coming up on your right."

"Good, that'll make it easier to kill you!"

"Don't waste your strength, Alan," Virgil said dryly. "You can't drown someone who's half fish."

"Who said anything about drowning?" the younger brother mumbled.

The banter warmed her heart, but despite the joy of finding out her friends were alive, the moment was still bitter sweet. Her rig was gone. Her lab was gone. Her garden was gone. What little money remained in her bank account would barely support her for a month. What was she going to do?

"You want to wait here while I go down and bring up the boys?" Virgil asked, pulling her out of her dark future.

Cecily shook her head and followed him back down to the hold. It was ridiculous, especially when she was safely on Thunderbird Two, but she really didn't want to be alone right now. Of course the one she most wanted to hold onto was John, but he was over 200 miles above her; a guardian angel among the stars. But how would he feel about her after what she said. She had confessed her deepest secret … would he feel the same way or would she lose her love as well?

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><p>What do you think?<p>

Let me know while I get the next chapter typed up.

MEDICAL UPDATE: My doc says that my arm SHOULD fully recover in about 7 weeks. :P


	25. Chapter 25

Guess what?

**(: IT'S FINISHED! :)**

I'm sure there are those of you out there that doubted it ever would be, but it is. Done. Complete. Ended. Concluded. Over ... ish.

Okay, so this is not the last time I plan to write about Cecily, but this is the last chapter of this story.

A huge round of applause for my beta, JulesDPM, for sticking with me through thick and thin. I can't stay it enough, you're awesome.

I big shout out to all the members of Team GB and Team USA for getting the gold over and over again. (As of now, Team GB is third overall with 16 gold and USA is second with 27. WHOO-YA! :) )

And to the rest of you, enjoy the final installment of "A Distant Voice" ...

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><p><strong>Chapter 25<strong>

John paced the short balcony before going over to a console to get an update on Two's ETA; exactly the same as it was when he checked thirty seconds before. He stalked back over to the railing, gripping it tightly as he gazed down to the main part of the hangar. Ten seconds later he was back to pacing and the process repeated itself.

"For piloting a plane with a cruising speed of 2,000 miles per hour, you're sure taking your sweet time getting home, Virgil," he muttered bitterly, returning to his post at the railing.

Truthfully, he knew it wasn't his brother's fault. He had to wait until the coast guard fished everyone out of the water so they could get their men and equipment back. Scott had stuck around for a bit to debrief the authorities, but he still beat the others home. Then again, so did John.

"Finally," he sighed as the alarm signaled the arrival of Two.

Hurrying down to the lower level, John watched the massive plane maneuver into place. Mustering whatever patience he had left, he hung back while the main part of the ship rose and the pod door opened. Virgil was first out, a pair of hard-drives tucked under his arm, followed by Alan who was carrying a strange looking plant. Last came Gordon, his arm around the most precious thing they brought back. Wrapped in a thick blanket and clutching her notebook protectively, Cecily looked small and broken; more so than when she thought her grandfather's trunk was lost to her. She was pale and seemed a bit unsteady, leaning against his younger brother for support. It was heartbreaking.

"John?"

Hearing Alan's question, Cecily's head snapped up as she looked around the hangar. John stepped forward and when her gaze found his it was as if the light returned to her eyes.

"John!"

Letting her notebook and blanket fall to the floor, she raced across the hangar and straight into his waiting arms. John held her tightly, entwining his fingers in her hair and breathing in the sweet scent that was entirely Cecily. No matter how many times Scott had assured him that they got to her in time, this was the first time he could truly believe it. She was safe.

"It's gone," she sobbed into his shirt. "My lab's gone."

"Shh," John soothed, rubbing her back. "I'm here now. It's okay. I'm here."

He tucked her head under his chin and just held her while she cried. Looking over he caught the eyes of his brothers and gave them a silent look of thanks. They smiled and each gave him a nod or wave of acknowledgment, but none said anything. They just quietly unloaded the pod, giving him as much privacy as the hangar allowed. He would have to remember to thank Virgil later, knowing his middle brother was the keeping the other two in line, but there would be time for that later. Right now his girl needed him and that was all that mattered.

"I should have told you," Cecily sniffed, turning her head to the side. "I should have told you the rig was unstable."

"It wouldn't have made a difference."

"It would have made me feel better," she mumbled, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I'm so sorry."

"It's alright," he tilted her chin up to look into her tear streaked face. "Let's just agree not to keep anymore secrets, okay?"

"Okay."

"Alright. And since we are sharing secrets, I have one of my own."

Brushing her hair back so he could cup her cheek in his hand, John smiled down at her and prepared to say what he had been dying to since the first time he saw her. But how would she react? What if she didn't feel as strongly as he did? But looking at her now, holding her in his arms, there was nothing else he could say except …

"I love you."

Cecily tensed in his arms and her eyes filled with tears, as if she had never heard those words directed at her before. Then again she probably hadn't, at least not since her grandfather died. Well that was going to change, because he couldn't hold back any longer.

"I loved you when you were just a voice on the radio, and even more the first time I saw your face. I love the way you work. I love the way you laugh. I love the way you talk about plants even though I only understand half of what you are saying."

She laughed as tears began to run down her face. John wiped a few away with his thumb, the same emotion filling his voice that had already filled his heart.

"I love you Cecily, and I would rather have the sky grow dark than live one more day without you in my life."

"I love you too, John," she replied. "And I would happily spend the rest of my life in a barren wasteland if it meant I could be there with you."

His smile widened. Never before had he heard a stronger declaration and looking into those moonlit eyes, he wondered how he had lived without her for so long. Since the day she entered his life he had been falling for her, and now the very though of losing her tore a hole in his heart.

"You don't have to live in a barren wasteland," John stated. "But you're stuck with me now."

"I think I can live with that," she smiled.

"I mean it," he continued seriously. "I came far too close to losing you today to risk doing it again. I'm gonna take care of you, Cecily. You don't have to do this alone anymore."

She closed her eyes and nestled deeper into his embrace. John hugged her tighter, wanting to convey how much he meant what he said. She sighed and squeezed him back.

"You've already given me so much," she whispered. "I just wish there was something I could do for you."

"Marry me."

She gazed up at him, her eyes wide with shock. Holy- did he just say that out loud? Cecily looked so stunned that for a second he wondered if he should take it back. But how could you take back something like that? Not that he wanted to, but International Rescue didn't leave room for-

"Yes."

John blinked, wondering if he had heard what he thought he heard.

"Did you just say-?"

"Yes," she repeated, throwing her arms around his neck. "Yes, yes, yes, yes."

His grin must have been from ear to ear as he, literally, swept her off her feet and kissed her right then and there. All his concerns melted away and his heart was soaring higher than Thunderbird Five. Nothing could bring him down now.

She said yes.

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><p>So? Was it the ending you wanted?<p>

Let me know what you think and stay tuned for part 2; "A Nearby Heart."


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